


Walks aren't everyone's cup of tea (Walks and Talks sequel)

by CosMoe



Category: DreamWorks Dragons (Cartoon), How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Blood, Blood Loss, Childbirth, Coming Out, Developing Friendships, F/M, Fatherhood, Fluff and Smut, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Heavy Petting, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Light Petting, Love Confessions, Love/Hate, Lovesickness, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Oral Sex, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Kink, Reconciliation, Romantic Friendship, Smut, Tuffcup - Freeform, Tufflout, Tuffstrid, Unplanned Pregnancy, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:14:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 43,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27463261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CosMoe/pseuds/CosMoe
Summary: Tuff has returned!He had been on board several ships for the last three years.Now he's back on New Berk and he and Hiccup realize that running away did not have the desired effect.Surprisingly Astrid is the one who now seeks the conversation with Tuff.But talking to Astrid isn't as pleasant as talking to Hiccup.However, it doesn't take Astrid long to notice which qualities Tuffnut brings along and they start to meet frequently.And talking becomes a minor matter...
Relationships: Astrid & Fishlegs & Hiccup & Ruffnut & Snotlout & Tuffnut, Astrid Hofferson/Tuffnut Thorston, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Tuffnut Thorston
Comments: 20
Kudos: 14





	1. A cup of tea

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter one of this sequel isn't as action-loaded as it might continue during the following chapter(s).  
> Rated as explicit because of what could follow...

Astrid wasn't into that walking thing to get new ideas. She'd rather throw an ax, but now Tuff stood in front of her in the great hall and asked if she wanted to walk a little with him.  
He had just been there, out of nowhere.

Although he was looking for Hiccup, he was happy to see Astrid, too.  
And the little girl, that swirled around Astrid's feet.  
"That's Zephyr. She's now two years old." Astrid said and lifted the girl.  
"Amazing! She looks like you. Just with Hiccup's hair. Nice to meet you, little one!"

Zephyr stayed with Valka and Astrid went for a walk with Tuff.  
She laughed about the parallels.  
At the end of their walk, Tuff said: "Thank you, Astrid! You've always been more patient and kind than I ever deserved. And your troll of a husband, too, of course."

"It has been a hard time, but I'm not mad at you. Maybe I can understand Hiccup today. We're currently having a period again in which we hardly talk and do things together. We never had that much in common, but currently, we have withdrawn from another, more than ever before.  
It will be hard work to go back to better times."  
Astrid sighed deeply.

Tuff cocked his head and smiled softly. "When you ever want to talk, you know, where you can find me."  
"Thanks, Tuff. Maybe I'll take your offer."

When Hiccup saw Tuff first after his return he couldn't do anything but stare.  
His heart pounded much too fast in his throat and his mind went blank.  
For such a long time he had been waiting for that day and now he was unable to move or talk.  
Tuff rose his hand and shot a lopsided grin into Hiccup's direction.

In his thoughts, he always had thrown all away what he was carrying, running toward Hiccup, jumping onto him, wrapping his legs around his waist and pressing the most passionate kiss ever to the chief's lips.  
But now he only managed to wave awkwardly.

Hiccup knew that Tuff had come back, Astrid had told him.  
Was he mad at Tuff that he hadn't come to see him earlier?  
Maybe a bit. But to be fair, Tuff _had_ looked for Hiccup. It hasn't been his fault that he only had found Astrid.  
And that walk? Hadn't it been _his_ walk?  
Maybe. But that was how Tuff could talk seriously. While moving, while looking at anything but the person's face and eyes he was talking to.

What had they been talking about?  
Hiccup had told Astrid a lot, back then, but not _everything_.  
To be honest, it had been more about the feelings and less about the parts where they had exchanged body fluids.  
When Astrid came back from her walk with Hiccup's ex-lover she looked relaxed and happy.  
So Hiccup relaxed.  
Apparently, they hadn't talked about _that_.

And now? Now he saw Tuffnut approaching, his steps becoming more hesitant the closer he got.  
The male twin stopped about two yards in front of Hiccup, let him decide to make the final steps to get into physical contact, allowing the connection.  
Hiccup stumbled forward, reached out his arm, and slowly but without any hesitation pulled Tuffnut into a tight embrace.  
"It feels good to know you're back safe and sound," Hiccup said, all chief, only little of a lover.

Tuffnut backed away, looked at Hiccup and his expression was impenetrable.  
"Yeah, chief. It's good to be home."  
Although he couldn't tell why that answer hurt Hiccup.  
Maybe he had expected a rather more personal welcome.  
It felt strange to see Tuff so close in front of him, but feeling like he was very far away.  
"You, uh, you look very good. Sun-kissed. I bet your arms are still white on the inside."

Furrowing his brows Tuff looked at his arms, noticing that Hiccup was right.  
"Oh yeah, shrimp arms. Yes, how could I forget?" Tuff flexed his grown biceps several times.  
Working on a ship had toned his entire body and his face looked matured.  
Hiccup swallowed and his mouth went dry.  
"Uh, I've got a date with Snotlout. There's a lot to tell, you know?"  
Tuff nodded, then he patted Hiccup's shoulders and headed to the great hall, where Hiccup saw Snotlout lingering on the stairs, awaiting his old friend.  
He couldn't help but feel utterly jealous.

'Breathe, Hiccup! You have no property claims on Tuffnut Thorston. It's probably better to not spend too much time with him,' Hiccup reminded himself and took a deep breath.  
But that distinct feeling of sickness kept creeping through his guts.

Tuff and Hiccup met every day, but never on purpose. They had small-talk but didn't talk at all.  
Hiccup suffered a lot but wouldn't admit it to anyone.  
Instead of relieving his mind, he withdrew from Fishlegs and Gobber, who were the closest to him, except for Astrid.  
But also Astrid noticed that Hiccup was kind of absent-minded and reacted quite hostile if someone wanted to know how he was doing.

About three weeks after Tuffnut's return it knocked on his door.  
He opened the door, his upper body undressed.  
"Oh, do I interrupt your- uh, whatever? I can go and return later," Astrid said.  
Tuff surprisedly rose his brows and stepped aside to give way for Astrid to enter.  
"I didn't expect you coming around, Hoff. Come in. I'm trying my tunics on, some of them don't fit anymore," he explained and pointed at a pile of clothes on his bed.

Astrid came in and shut the door.  
Tuff went into the kitchen and took two mugs from his rack.  
"Can I offer a drink?"  
Astrid didn't react, she was too busy looking at all the little details in Tuff's hut.  
She realized that she hadn't been here ever before.  
For what reason, though? There had never been anything significant connecting her and Tuff.

There were carved wooden planks, banners, and some pennants with the Thorston family crest.  
"Nice embroidery. Did your mom make them?" Astrid asked.  
"Yeah, some of them. But most were made by me." Tuff smiled proudly and pointed at his chest with both his thumbs.  
"Wow Tuff, I never assumed you're that crafty!"  
"Yeah, you know hardly anything about me. But I know pretty much about _you _.When I sat next to you in handicraft lessons you once have become impatient and thrown your work across the room before you attacked Fishlegs' mom with your needle.  
I won't ever forget how you chased her out of the room and ran home to complain about the injustice that you had to learn how to sew and embroider, while the boys were allowed to learn how to fight."__

____

Astrid laughed about that memory, but then she hesitated.  
"I've never sat next to _you_ in handicraft lessons. I sat next to _Ruffnut_!"  
"Oh, have you?" Tuff smirked and poured hot water into the mugs.  
"Wait... have I _ever_ sat next to your sister?" Astrid asked, her face getting pale, her hand shooting up to clasp at her mouth.  
"Sure, now and then!" Tuff's corners of his mouth twitched and he tried to suppress a giggle.

____

"Oh fuck... then it has been _you_ who I have told that Tuffnut Thorston was the only boy I could ever imagine to marry because the others were too small and skinny, too fat and too swanky?" Astrid gasped.  


____

Tuff shrugged and snorted.  
"You didn't even think about letting me know that I was talking to the wrong twin?"  
"I didn't want to embarrass you. And fuck, Astrid, I've been afraid of you since I can remember! You don't really think that I would have admitted that _I_ was sitting next to you in handicraft lessons instead of _my sister_ because I've never been interested in fighting? Or that I've quite often been afraid that you could come over to kidnap me because you suddenly had decided to marry me?"

____

"But you _could_ fight, I've seen you fistfighting Snotlout once when he had insulted your mother."  
"Are you sure that you have seen _me_ , Astrid? If you had seen _me_ , you would have seen a brawny guy beating up a scared rag – and I surely wouldn't have been the brawny one. I remember that day. I cooled Ruff's nose all night and gave her my dessert for a week because I was so proud of her.

____

She taught me all she learned during fighting lessons. It was less hard for me to train with her because I knew I could always trust her. She pointed out my weak spots and helped me improving my fighting skills. She was a very rigorous teacher.  
And when puberty hit me and testosterone flushed through my body I started liking to fight.  


____

Handicraft lessons had been over for me and fighting lessons had been over for Ruff because we couldn't hide who we really were anymore.  
Soon after we all started with Dragon Training and no one ever mentioned handicraft lessons again, to Ruff's luck."

____

When Tuff was ready telling his story he took the tea leaves out of the water and placed the mug in front of Astrid.  
"It's tea. I brought it from any country in the east. And I can tell you, the world is not flat! Like I told you years ago. It's tasty, try it!"  


____

But Astrid couldn't do anything but gazing at Tuff's face, his chest, his abdominals, and back to his face. "You devious asshole, I thought I had a friend, a real best friend! I've told you everything! And now you tell me that my best friend, my friend _Ruffnut_ had been you!" Astrid grabbed her mug and Tuff flinched, because he knew Astrid well enough to trust her to throw the mug at him.  
But she rose it to her lips, gulped the hot drink, and gritted her teeth.  
Tuff didn't dare to comment on her inattention and he spared the hint on the temperature of the tea.

____

"That's really good," Astrid nodded and put the mug back on the table, before she continued, "Who have you told what I had told _you_?"  


____

"No one except for Ruffnut. I thought she should know what you wanted her to know. That's it. Astrid, I tried to protect us. I couldn't afford to blow our cover. I've never given away any of your secrets. Including things you really shouldn't have told Ruff, because, yeah, she's Ruff. I also kept these secrets. I'm sorry that I apparently have hurt your feelings, I-"  


____

But Astrid cut him off with a harsh gesture. She hesitated to speak and had to gather her thoughts, but then she admitted: "You've been the best friend I ever had. _I_ have to be sorry because I have treated you poorly quite often."

____

Tuff, still standing at the kitchen counter smiled at Astrid and blushed.  
"I guess I deserved it, haven't I?"  
Sipping on his tea he didn't see coming what Astrid would say next.  


____

"Maybe sometimes," Astrid mused and fell silent. Then she continued: "Uh... I- I know what you did with Hiccup."  
Spitting his tea all over the floor Tuff coughed and felt the hot liquid shooting out of his nostrils.  
"Fuck, Astrid!" he yelled and scooped some cold water out of a jar to cool down his nose.

____

"Tuffnut, I know that you haven't only been walking around, talking, and holding hands. I know that you both had been in love and I know that you were together pretty often. For hours, sometimes for days. I know that you had sex. It's okay. Hiccup had been a better husband when he could be with you too. But that won't work anymore. He'd been too distracted back then. Now he has a daughter and the responsibility has grown.  


____

I tell you that because I know that he still has feelings for you. He's as much in love with you as on the day you left. But he'll have to get through it. He'll have to get over you, although he's insufferable at the moment. First I wanted to talk to you that you could try it again, but to be honest, Hiccup would leave me with too many of his duties and I can't manage to do my work and his as well.  
Believe it or not, I'm also only human. So I wanted to ask you to stay away from him. Please."

____

"First of all, Hiccup is much too responsible to ever get involved with me again. Second: It had hurt way too much to break up and I don't want to suffer from that kind of feeling ever again. I love Hiccup, but to be honest, he's not worth the trouble. Don't get me wrong, Hiccup is worth the world to me, but I know that we won't have a common future and so it's not worth the pain it would cause if we reunited.  
Third and last: what makes you think I wanted to try it again? What if I had found someone to love outside of New Berk?"

____

"Oh. I see. Have you?"  
"No, for fucks sake, but I _could_. Hiccup isn't the only person on the planet!"  
"You mean the only _man_?"  
"No Astrid, I don't care for my lover's gender, as long as the interpersonal is right."

____

Astrid sighed and sipped on her tea while she watched Tuffnut angrily emptying his mug, putting it aside, and grabbing one of the tunics that still fitted him to put it on.  
Tuff felt somehow vulnerable only half way dressed and Astrid felt sorry for the turn their conversation had taken.  
Stealthily she peeked over to Tuff, who sorted his tunics back into the laundry chest.  
Actually, she wanted to be mad at him, wanted to feel relieved when finally having said what she knew.  
But now she felt regret and realized that she had poured salt into open wounds. 

____

"Tuff, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. Any of it. It's just... Hiccup is driving me insane. He's grumpy and moody and he works so much, finds always new tasks and reasons for not returning from work, but staying away for as long as possible.  
First I thought you two would meet again, but then I saw you on your own and... I don't know. I thought it could help. But now I've hurt you and instead of making it better I made it worse, I suppose."

____

Tuffnut strolled over to Astrid, towering over her, gazing down to meet her eyes.  
Astrid knew that Tuff didn't like to keep eye contact for so long, but as he did she realized that he wanted her to listen and understand, because he wouldn't say it a second time.

____

"Hiccup and I had an exceptional time. Under any other circumstances, I would have gone away with him to be just us, him, and me.  
But even I understood that we weren't meant to be and that was the reason for me to leave for quite a while.  
I had never seriously thought about reviving our romance. And I stick to my promises. Not that I ever had promised to keep away from Hiccup, but you know what I mean.  
I currently doubt that we could be even friends. Normal friends without any benefits. Just friends. But I doubt it. That we could be even that. Sorry, I'm rambling."

____

Astrid impatiently waved at Tuff and meant for him to continue. 

____

"So, although it hurts and I could cry like a baby and every fiber of my body wants to be with him, because I'm yearning for him like a drooling virgin from a love novel, I will stay away from him, just like I did since I returned. And I want you to never tell me again what to do. Because, if _you_ believe it or not, I have enough common sense to not repeat my mistakes."

____

Astrid felt bad. Really bad. She tried to get a look at Tuff's face, but he hid behind his hair, as he had always done since his hair had been long enough to cover his face.  
Since he had sat next to her in handicraft lessons.  
From his posture she could tell that Tuff was downcast, exhausted, even his loneliness was tangible.

____

"I'm sorry, Tuff," Astrid whispered when she passed him.  
Her fingertips softly brushed his shoulders and she felt him flinch from her touch.  
Her words apparently had caused more damage than intended.  
Tuff nodded and turned his back on Astrid, his willingness to look her in the face was extinguished for that day.

____

As Astrid had gone Tuff dropped onto his bed, buried his face into his pillow, and forced himself to think about anything but Hiccup Haddock.

____


	2. Scratching an itch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Astrid waits for Tuff to come back home.  
> The talk they have turns out completely different than expected - there's less talking but rather more using body language.  
> Astrid learns something about herself and her needs and Tuff gets to know parts of the female body.  
> What Astrid and Hiccup have in common in the end is that they both had intercourse with Tuffnut.

"I am sorry that I hurt your feelings and I want to make it up to you. Uh, do you ever wear a shirt?" Astrid spluttered and pushed a plate covered with a cloth towards Tuffnut's face.

"Hey, Hoff! Wanna make it up to me? With... whatever that is?" Tuff lifted a corner of the cloth to peek beneath it.  
"At least it doesn't smell like Yaknog. You're not trying to poison me, are you?" he smirked mischievously and opened the door further so that Astrid could enter.

"I know that my housewife skills aren't at a top-level, but I spent a lot of time in the kitchen to cook this for you. It's yak pastry, like my mom used to cook it. I know you like it, you and your sister have stolen the most of them from our window sill, where mom had placed them to cool down," Astrid said and put the plate on Tuff's table.

"Who says that we didn't use the pastry to prank Snotlout?" Tuff blinked at Astrid, then he added, "No, your mom's pastry really was great. I'm curious if yours will taste similar. But not now, I have a date." Tuff took the plate to bring it into his pantry. Suspiciously he sniffed at the pastry, but to be honest, it smelled delicious.

"Oh, a date?"  
"Yeah, I'll meet Ruffnut and Fishlegs. They invited me over and although I don't feel like watching them being lovebirds all the time I had no reason to reject their invitation."

"Maybe you have a reason _now _.__ I am here. And I need you more than they do, I guess. You said that I can come over to talk when I need someone to talk to."  
Tuff put on a tunic and slipped into his boots.  
While he put on his helmet he gave Astrid an apologetic smile.  
"Sorry, A. Meet me either later or tomorrow, now I have to leave."

Astrid felt a wave of disappointment and annoyance flush her body.  
That Thorston guy never had done what she wanted, he always had given objections and acted exactly the way he shouldn't.  
"Ugh, fine! I thought I could rely on you!"  
With a calm voice, Tuff answered, while he waited for Astrid at the door: "I _am_ reliable. I have an appointment with my sister and I won't let her wait."  
Astrid snorted and trudged away.  
Was it too much to ask for a little time to talk?

Amused Tuff watched Astrid stomp away. Then he sighed and headed to his sister's hut.

When he came back home it began to dawn.  
On his porch, hidden in the shadows sat a woman with crossed arms.  
"Hey, Hoff. Wanna come in?" he asked without looking at her.  
"Guess so. Thanks," Astrid mumbled and got up.  
"You don't have to wait outside. My hut is never locked, you can go in and wait there if you want."  
"Okay. Didn't want to go in without permission."  
"Now you have my permission. It's not appropriate for the chief's wife to loiter outside the village idiot's hut."

Astrid rolled her eyes. "You're not the village idiot!"  
"Doesn't matter. You look like an assassin waiting for your victim when you hang out in the shadows. Not that you couldn't kill anyone, I saw you doing worse to some Dragon Hunters. Whatever. What's up?" Tuff kicked his boots off, took off his helmet and tunic, and went over to his kitchen rack. "Wanna drink something?"

Astrid shrugged. "Sure. Thanks for taking some time for me. It's silly, but I need your advice. Somehow." Astrid inhaled deeply and dropped onto Tuff's bench at the table.  
He placed a mug with mead in front of her and sat down across her.  
"Could you just put on your tunic again? This irritates me!" Astrid sighed annoyedly and pointed at Tuff's chest and belly.  
"Uh, no! It's summer, it's hot and sultry and my clothes stick to my skin like dragon saliva. You're lucky that I still wear my pants. Next item on the agenda."

"Don't you think it's a bit unfair? You can hang out nearly naked and I have to sweat while wearing those layers of clothes!" Astrid groused and tugged on her shirt.  
"Get yourself comfortable, Hoff. I don't mind."  
"You wish!"  
"No, I don't _mind _.__ Wanna sit there and argue about conventions? What are you really here for?" Tuff asked impatiently.  
It took some time to make him mad, but Astrid managed to upset him quite quickly.

"How can I get access to Hiccup's feelings again? He withdraws further and further from me. He's repelling and cold and totally locked inside himself.  
I- I don't know, he's so far away and he doesn't let me be his wife. I want to be near him, but he rejects me. As if he would have to go alone through all this."  
Tuff chuckled and drank his mead, then he laid his feet onto the table.  
Astrid couldn't help noticing his abdominals work under his skin and swallowed.

"Three and a half years ago your husband said the same to me. Ever thought about talking to each other, instead of talking to me? Or breaking up? You both don't seem to be very happy together."  
"But I love him. I want to go back to luckier days. We _have_ been happy, and I want us to be happy _again _ _ _.____ "

Lost in thoughts Tuff scratched his crotch and mused: "Mabe you could use a mediation?"  
"Ugh, Tuffnut! Would you stop that please?" Astrid yelled and rubbed her temples.  
"What? I'm trying to help you!"  
"No! I mean _that _!__ " she nodded towards Tuff's right hand.  
"Considering that this is _my_ hut you make quite a few demands, missy!  
I can wear whatever I want or don't want and I can scratch my fuckin' dick whenever I feel like doing so!  
Ever thought about your attitude? Maybe that's the reason why your marriage is such a pile of rotten yak dung!"

"How dare you?!" Astrid shouted, face red with wrath.  
"How dare _you _?__ You come over here, tell me what to do, and want me to fix your problems with the love of my life! That's pretty demanding and brazen, I think. Besides, you are condescending. And if you don't like what you get I recommend seeking advice from Valka!"  
Tuff had fumingly jumped up and now leaned over the table, his face only inches away from Astrid's face.  
Scaredly Astrid thought, that she had never seen him this upset before and backed away.  
Actually, Astrid never backed away, but in this state, she assumed that Tuffnut could be capable of everything.

"I did it! I already did that! She said I should talk to Hiccup! But he wouldn't listen, and he also didn't talk to me! I tried it all! I tried to talk, to be the kind of wife I thought he wished for, I tried to be seductive and patient, but it didn't work!" Stammering, Astrid tried to clarify her situation. Showing her feelings still was hard for her, but now she couldn't hold back the tears and didn't even try.  
When there was someone who understood how she was feeling it was Tuffnut, she assumed.  
She didn't know anyone else having had emotional outbursts and crying fits as much as he had.

Sobbing she slumped and hated herself for being so weak.  
Two slender but strong hands gripped her shoulders and pulled her up into a hug.  
"How 'bout being empathetic and kind, Astrid? Have you tried that, too? It's not only about you and what you need. It's also about Hiccup. And as far as I remember he needs a lot of reassurance, love, kindness, and empathy. And, honestly, you're not that kind of woman who is soft and warm and empathetic.  
What is great, you're an awesome warrior! But how much of a warrior is your husband?"

"What shall I do?" Astrid sniffed and felt bad for wetting Tuff's shoulders with her tears.  
Suddenly it felt awkward to be that close to Tuffnut, her face pressed at his soft but scarred skin.  
Astrid realized being clutched to his entire body, their crotches touching, his scratchy dreadlocks brushing over her cheeks.

Gruffly she freed from his embrace, shoved herself away from him, and stepped back, wiping her eyes.  
"That's what I mean, A. You push me away, although I want to help you. Although I suffer myself because of your husband. But you don't think about my feelings. It's okay, I'd like to help you anyway, because I know that I can help Hiccup indirectly, too."  
Astrid brought distance between them and went to the other side of the table.  
Tuffnut crossed his arms, didn't care for the wetness on his shoulder, and watched Astrid's face with furrowed brows.

As he casually threw his hair back Astrid had to confess to herself, that she felt attracted to Tuff. Oh, Gods, she had been untouched for too long.  
She let her gaze wander over his body, giving Tuff's crotch, where his private parts were slightly visible through the linen fabric of his pants, a little too much attention.  
"Dammit!" she yelled, jumped forward, and punched Tuff's arm. Hard. So hard it would surely leave a bruise.

"Hey, what the...?" Tuff squeaked and rubbed his arm, not realizing that Astrid took another blow, hitting his other arm.  
"Ouch! Are you totally out of your mind?" Tuff yelled and tried to dodge the blows, but Astrid was fast and furious and let a volley of punches patter down on Tuff's arms.  
"I want my husband back! I want Hiccup back!" she screamed and Tuff managed to get hold of Astrid's fists.  
"I want Stormfly back!" she now cried and collapsed to Tuffnut's chest, sobbing uncontrollably.

Tuff pulled Astrid close and stroked her hair, let her cry out all the desperation.  
"I know exactly how you feel," he whispered, fighting back his own tears.  
"I feel so lonely and lost! All the expectations... I can't do it. I'm human, you know? I need someone - someone to lean on, at least now and then."  
Astrid roughly cupped Tuff's face and pressed her lips onto his lips.  
"Wait, wait, wait, Astrid! That's not what you want! Stop it! You're desperate and lonely but I am not what you want!"

"Screw it, Tuffnut! I only want some closeness! A little body warmth..."  
"Astrid, it's 30°C degrees, the last we need is body warmth!"  
"Shut up and kiss me!" Astrid demanded, but Tuff could break free from Astrid's vicelike grip and hold her away from him at the shoulders.  
Breathless he said: " I understand, I totally get how you're feeling, but don't do that! Don't do that to us. You'll regret it and I bet you'd let me suffer if I now let you act like that. The Astrid I know would want me to stop her because it's not her style to raid innocent guys at their own huts.  
Calm down, you don't seem to know what you're doing!"

"Fuck you, Tuffnut! Do you have a clue how long it's been since I got touched? The last time has been on Snoggletog and we only did it because I didn't want anything else for Snoggletog! I had to force my husband to fuck me and it was awful!" Astrid made few strides toward Tuff and grabbed his neck, pulling him down to kiss him again, this time with less violence but with her tongue invading his mouth.  
As she wrapped her right leg around his hip she felt his manhood harden.

"No, Astrid! Please think about it! You're upset and apparently, you're horny, very horny, but I'm not a guy for... for what you're up to. I can't do that on command. You scare me, to be honest!" Tuff rambled and felt a tingly sensation creeping through his lower abdomen, as Astrid ground herself at his crotch.  
She reached down and palmed Tuff's now erect cock.  
"Guess he sees things differently," she breathed at Tuff's mouth and after expelling a moan Tuff replied: "He's not the brainy one here."

"I don't want brains now, I want you to fuck me!" Astrid gasped and scratched over Tuff's back.  
He shivered and moaned, gave a little in, and kissed Astrid back, only a little and he felt his cock twitch.  
Damn, it had been too long for him, too. Being kissed like that with all that fervor and need, caused him to almost lose self-control. Almost.

"Astrid, stop! We need to stop, _now _!__ " he groaned, but Astrid sucked on his neck and bit him beneath his jugular, what let him thrust his groin against Astrid's.  
Without knowing what exactly he was doing he slid his hands down Astrid's skirt, where he grabbed her butt and dug his fingertips into her soft flesh.  
Astrid wrapped her other leg around Tuff's waist, now clinging to his lap, his rock hard cock grinding at her fully dressed folds.

Tuff went over to his bed, where he dropped Astrid on his mattress.  
But instead of joining her, he took several steps backward, away from her.  
Astrid's gaze was settled on the wet spot on his pants at the tip of his dick, where precum had started to drip.  
"We – you should go home and sleep one night over this decision."  
His cock twitched again and felt achingly hard, but he had to keep a clear mind.  
Only because he had these needs it didn't mean to give in to these needs.

"Have you been that hesitant with Hiccup, too?" Astrid panted and took off her top.  
"Oh, Hoff..." Tuff moaned and felt abashed by Astrid's unrestrained looks.  
She crawled towards him over his bed, got up, slowly approached him, lithe like a cat, and grabbed his balls.  
Tuff tossed his head back and moaned throatily.  
Her bare breasts rubbed over his chest and he felt goosebumps appear on his skin.  
How was he supposed to resist?  
And now Astrid rubbed his dick, she was in his pants, her slim but calloused hand stroked his large cock and it was so good.

Although Tuff wanted to contradict he couldn't think anymore. He only could feel arousal, this distinct feeling of a point, from where he could only return with aching blue balls or satisfied and empty.  
"I want you!" Astrid whispered to his ear, biting his lobe.  
"Fuck, Astrid! You don't want _me _,__ you want sex!" Tuff replied and cocked his head so that Astrid could suck and bite his neck unrestrictedly.  
"I'm exchangeable! I could be Snotlout as well, any guy!"

Astrid stripped off her skirt and leggings and let both fall to her ankles.  
"I would certainly _not_ go to Snotlout!" she said muffledly, as she pressed her mouth at Tuff's neck again.  
Her hand was still placed in Tuff's pants, she ran her palms over his glans and spread the sticky precum over his shaft.  
With her other hand, she pulled down the waistband and exposed Tuff's throbbing cock.  
She did not miss the chance to catch a glimpse of it and gasped: "Wow, you're beautiful! And huge! I wanna feel you filling me!"

Tuff bit his bottom lip and allowed himself to enjoy for a moment the handjob Astrid gave him.  
He had to decide, had to think – but thinking with way too few bloods available for his brain was hard and Tuff couldn't get a clear thought.  
His body cried for relief, all he wanted was to cum, cum really hard!  
More than three years ago it had been the last time that someone - Hiccup – had touched him.  
And although he had had the chance in the meantime, he didn't want to have sex with someone he didn't know or liked.  
So it had been him and his hand.

"Stop Astrid!" Tuff whispered and inhaled with effort.  
"No!" Astrid replied, placed her soft lips on Tuff's mouth and sucked on his lips, kissed him, and teased him.  
"Yes, Astrid! Stop it, please. Unless you want me cumming on your belly."  
"Oh," Astrid said weakly and peeked down to Tuff's swollen and throbbing cock.

Tuffnut took Astrid on his arms and laid her on his bed.  
Then he took off her boots and her leggings and skirt, that still hung between her ankles.  
With a quick movement, he tied a knot into his dreads and leaned over Astrid.  
For the first time, he looked at her, let his gaze wander down her body, over her breasts, her soft stomach, the white lines of her stretch marks.

Astrid noticed his looks and squirmed. Tuff ran his fingers gently over the marks and caressed her skin.  
"You're beautiful," he said and cupped her breast with his right hand – it fitted exactly to the vault of his hand and he felt her nipple perking against his palm.  
Tuffnut groaned and pressed his middle against Astrid's hip.

Softly he kissed her, let his tongue playfully invade her mouth and he realized that Astrid had been all tensed since he had looked at her belly.  
He became aware of Astrid's insecurities according to her body – the body of a mother, not only the steel body of a warrior anymore.  
However Astrid's body now looked, Tuff admired it a lot.

Kissing a trail down Astrid's neck, over her collar bone, he stopped at her nipples, sucked on each of them, and made Astrid shiver in pleasure.  
Then he kissed her belly, kissed her stretch marks, and brought his hand down between her legs.  
It was the first time ever that Tuff touched a female body and he carefully let his fingers slide between Astrid's folds.  
Hot moistness welcomed him and he inhaled sharply, his cock twitched, his heartbeat rose.

A little helpless he groped forward, let his fingers slip into Astrid's wet core.  
As she moaned and arched into his hand he relievedly went on fingering her, while he thought, that it had been so much easier to have sex with Hiccup. They both had the same body features and he knew how it worked to get a guy aroused.  
Now he wondered if there was a similar magic spot inside of a woman, as he had one himself.  
Nervous, Tuff watched Astrid's expression to not miss a negative reaction to his actions.

Astrid opened her eyes, as she felt observed.  
"What is it?" she asked slightly annoyed and Tuff decided to stick to the truth.  
"I've never done that before," he admitted and Astrid sighed with amusement.  
Then she flipped him over onto his back and straddled him.  
His pulsating member was squeezed between Astrid's labia and his pubic bone and the feeling of her wet folds grinding over his shaft nearly made him lose control.

It was pretty different to have sex with a woman than with a man – Tuff obviously wouldn't have to lubricate his cock before entering.  
But other than her husband Astrid could get pregnant.  
Tuff had never really thought about being fertile, but now it could be useful to waste a thought on it.  
"I could probably make you a baby, A. Considered that?"  
"Nah, I'm watching my cycle. At my current state you can't get me pregnant," Astrid answered and lifted her butt, grabbed Tuff's dick, and led it to her entrance.

As she sank onto Tuff's cock she expelled a low scream.  
Tuff excitedly gasped and didn't dare to move – his arousal had peaked when Astrid had lowered herself and her silky walls had adjusting clenched around his cock.  
"Please don't move!" he begged and Astrid looked at Tuff in confusion.  
"Do I hurt you?" she asked and furrowed her brows.  
Tuff laughed out and answered then: "No, not in the slightest."

As she understood she blushed and mumbled embarrassedly: "Oh, sorry. I forgot..."  
But Tuff pulled her down to kiss her, grabbed her hips, and pressed her against himself, giving himself one moment to adjust to the feeling of being sheathed by a hot and wet pussy.  
Then he started to move Astrid's hips, set the pace until Astrid took over the command.

She withdrew until Tuff's member was outside of her, then pushed back to take him in again, pulled away, only the head of his dick poking her entrance, pushing back again to let him fill her.  
Astrid moaned and sighed every time Tuffnut's cock filled her and brushed over her G-Spot.  
He felt so different from Hiccup, only a little longer, but with a lot more girth.  
His stout bell end streaking over Astrid's walls made them both experience new dimensions of desire.  
As Astrid tensed the pelvic floor muscles she additionally narrowed the path to plow for Tuff and intensified the friction and the tight sensation for them both.

Sex with Tuffnut was completely different from having sex with Hiccup in general.  
Hiccup was affectionate and caring, but sometimes also quite predictable.  
While Hiccup was rather loud and moaned a lot Tuff made rumbly noises, growled, and appeared more animalistic, drive-controlled.  
He bit Astrid and sucked and licked a lot at her erogenous zones, his movements were out of step now and then and followed no choreography. Everything Tuff did felt different, the way he cupped her breasts, the way he kissed her, even his smell was more male.

Hiccup appreciated a well-designed schedule with foreplay and after-sex cuddles.  
Astrid didn't know yet if Tuff would like to cuddle after their climax despite the warmth, but she honestly didn't expect him to curl up to her.  
Maybe Astrid noticed all that just because they weren't well attuned to each other yet.  
But exactly this fact made this experience so very exciting.

Feeling utterly overwhelmed from being fucked so sweetly by the wife of his ex-lover, Tuff didn't notice Astrid shifting her weight, straightening up, and ramming his cock deep into her cunt.  
Tuff touched Astrid's cervix and she moaned long and loud.

As she now rocked her hips desperately and sped up her movements Tuff couldn't hold his orgasm much longer.  
"Sorry, Hoff! Can't - I can't hold it anymore!"  
But Astrid didn't reply, bounced on Tuff's lap and felt her own orgasm come closer, the tingly sensation spreading in her belly, the ripping lust swelling up her clit.  
Tuff watched Astrid grabbing her boobs, embracing herself, and couldn't hold his climax any longer.  
His cock hardened painfully, then his load shot through his tube, like a tidal wave, and washed away most of his consciousness.

Astrid felt Tuff's member twitch forcefully inside of her and his lust increased her own lust, made her sped up, even more, let her body get its own relief.  
Her orgasm felt like roaring thunder, her walls clenched powerfully around Tuff's cock, which was still hard and twitching in the aftermath of his own climax.

Sweat covered their bodies and Astrid collapsed next to Tuff, instead of upon him – it was much too hot to cuddle.  
"For Thor's sake, Hoff! I wasn't expecting that!" Tuff panted and turned his face toward Astrid, who laid next to him and gasped for air.  
"I need water," she coughed and Tuff hurried to get up and get her a mug of water.

Now that her itch had been scratched Astrid felt awkwardly vulnerable and exposed, naked like that.  
That weird feeling turned to a slight sickness, as she noticed Tuff's cum dribble out of her, spoiling the sheets beneath her.  
Although it was too warm to cover, Astrid tugged Tuff's blanket over her, trying to hide from... from what? Or from who?  
From Tuff, who moved as naturally as if he and Astrid had been always naked around each other?  
Or from her own feelings of guilt?  
From her conscience?  
Did she regret what she had done?  
No. It hadn't been planned, but it had turned out great – although Tuff was a lousy lover, due to his lack of experience.  
She had taken from him what she needed and he had willingly given her exactly that.

As he now turned around the corner, bringing her water, Astrid relaxed. She looked at his wiry body, his toned arms, and long legs and thought that he looked beautiful. Astrid even liked his now flaccid member, his soft and straight blond pubic hair.

Was Astrid having a crush on Tuffnut? Maybe a little, although she admittedly still liked him best when he kept his mouth shut.  
But she could understand a little by now why Hiccup had fallen for him: everything Tuff did felt natural.  
There was no ostentation in his behavior.  
Tuffnut seemed to be a master in taking things as given – he didn't complain much, he didn't seem to regret and he most rarely apologized for something he had meant to do.

Short: it was easy to feel good when you were around Tuffnut Thorston.  
Astrid realized that she only felt uncomfortable with Tuff, when Ruffnut was around, too. Their twinsanity or twintuition made Astrid lose her mind.  
Then Tuff's personality changed, he gave a heck about others, rambled incoherent stuff, only seemed to compete over being the most irritating twin of them both.

Yeah, she thought, everything had always been a competition for them.  
Poor Tuff, when had he ever been able to be himself and not only a part of a catastrophic twinset?  
What she felt now was empathy, wasn't it? She could be empathetic.  
Maybe Tuff could teach her to be much more than the Astrid Hofferson-Haddock, she had always used to be.  
She only had to find out how to go along with his methods.

Tuff dropped next to Astrid and passed her the mug with cool water.  
"Turn around," he shortly demanded and Astrid did, he smiled softly and began to wipe her arms and her back with a wet and cool cloth.  
"Oh Tuff, that's so good," Astrid moaned and trembled because of the low temperature of the cloth.  
She turned back around and kissed Tuff very affectionately.

This time their kiss didn't grow into an arousing connection, but into a bond between them.  
As they parted Tuff wiped Astrid's face  
"Shall I clean your belly, too?" he asked and gently nudged Astrid's nose.  
Astrid chuckled and took the cloth from Tuff's hand.  
"No, I'll do it myself, thank you!"  
She couldn't stand him touching her private parts, now that she wasn't aroused.  
In fact, he now felt like a very close friend and not like someone Astrid would or could ever have sex with.

Tuff seemed to notice that Astrid needed distance now, without her having to say anything.  
She thought that Tuffnut often did the right because of his instincts, which led her to her earlier thought of him being kind of animalistic.  
Hiccup often acted highbrowed and overthought too much, which made him pretty anxious sometimes.

Later, when Tuff had fed her with some fruits for her blood sugar level and had given her enough water to stay hydrated after their diaphoretic action, he gathered her clothes and put them in front of Astrid on his bed.  
"Are you kicking me out?" she asked bluntly and Tuff nodded.  
"When you leave Hiccup to come over to talk or walk or stalk me it's one thing, but you shouldn't leave Zephyr for too long. She'd probably ask for you at the breakfast table.  
I know that Hiccup is an awesome dad and he'll do a great job with your daughter, but you should maybe regard her as your emotional anchor. She needs you and you need her. And I need to get some sleep."

Astrid put on her clothes while sitting on the edge of Tuff's bed.  
"Thank you for catching my fall. I guess my mind needed that break-down.  
It had been like a thunderstorm and now I can see much more clear than before."  
"Well, I'm glad that I could catch your fall. I wouldn't mind if you fell more often onto my lap. Naked," Tuff blinked at Astrid and wiggled his brows and Astrid had to laugh out loud.  
"You mean I should accidentally fall onto your erection with spread legs?"  
Tuff snorted and sheepishly looked down. "Yeah, maybe?"  
"Sorry Tuff, that was a one-time affair. You're not my type," she said, kissed his cheek, and left.

Tuffnut grinned and watched Astrid walking down the path until the darkness swallowed her.  
She didn't turn around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued...


	3. Becoming a toy or a friend?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tuffnut finds himself within a strange affair with Astrid - although it's quite enjoyable to have intercourse with her, he feels emotionally unsatisfied.  
> Furthermore, he still feels attracted to Hiccup and can't handle the emotional confusion.  
> Astrid and Tuffnut decide to quit their hanky-panky.  
> And Hiccup strengthens this decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I borrowed the title in reversed order from Jettara1.  
> These two fics are not related to one another and don't even deal with the same subject.

Tuff of course wouldn't admit it, but it hurt his back, as Astrid pushed him at the outer wall of the Bjarnskar-hut, right next to Fishlegs' hut.  
When Tuff had left his sister Astrid had pulled him into the somber aisle between the huts.  
The aisle in which he had made out with Hiccup years before.  
A startled squeak was the only sound Tuff could make before Astrid had clasped her hand to his mouth.  
"One word and I'll gag you with your own skivvies, got it?" Astrid hissed at Tuffnut's ear, her hot breath tickling his neck.

The way he found himself now, pushed at the wall, his mouth shut by Astrid's left hand, he couldn't get away from his "hostage-taker" without drawing attention.  
Tuff never knew, what exactly Astrid would do with him – or to him.  
That and the risk of being caught often made Tuffnut's dick react before Astrid had even touched him at all.  
Currently, she was tugging on the cords of his pants, brushing over his erection with every movement of her hand.

"Ah, always ready for mischief, am I right?" Astrid scoffed and took her hand away from Tuff's mouth.  
He only nodded, knowing just too well what would happen if he dared to speak – the last time Astrid had grabbed his testicles and squeezed. Hard.  
She brought her hand down, untied the knot, and uncovered Tuff's pulsating sex.

First she rubbed it with light pressure, causing Tuff to look down at her hand and moan at the view, which presented itself to him.  
Astrid lifted Tuff's chin with her left hand and made him look into her face.  
Without looking at what she did and without being allowed to make a sound Tuff felt at Astrid's mercy.

Astrid sped up her moves and precum beaded at the tip of Tuff's bell end.  
She knelt to lick his dick, to dip her tongue into the slit of his cock's head.  
When Astrid began to take him all in Tuff had to hold on to the wall because his knees suddenly became soft and wobbly.  
Other than Hiccup Astrid didn't have a gag-reflex and she could insert Tuff's cock inside her mouth until her nose buried into his pubic hair.

Much rather than holding on to the coarse surface of the hut Tuff would have liked to get a grip of Astrid's silky hair, but the one time he had tried, Astrid had become mad at him. She wanted to have no trace of their meetings on her.  
Tuff had to control himself to not buck his hips toward Astrid – in fact, he wasn't allowed to do anything but standing leaned against the wall, offering his genital.

From the way Tuff breathed Astrid knew that he would be close to his climax soon.  
"You won't cum!" she said, breaking away from Tuff's throbbing length.  
Tuff nodded, then shook his head and clenched his pelvic floor muscles.  
A tingling sensation within his balls made him breathe harder, but still, he had control.  
Astrid continued giving him head and licked his shaft, sucked on his glans, nibbled his continuous dribbling precum, and only stopped as she noticed Tuff's cock getting ready for launch.

She got up on her feet, pulled up his pants, and carefully knotted the cords again.  
Tuff looked at her with a flustered expression.  
Astrid returned the glance and placed a kiss on Tuff's lips.  
She took his right hand and led it to her wet core, let him dip his fingers into her.  
As much as he tried, Tuff couldn't suppress a growl, and his cock throbbed.

Then Astrid took his hand away, brought it up to his mouth, let him lick his fingers, and taste the salty flavor of her vaginal fluids.  
With an intense gaze into his eyes, Astrid pulled his fingers out his mouth and sucked on them herself.  
Involuntarily Tuff bucked his hips against Astrid's groin.

"Oh fuck, Hoff," he whispered.  
"I'll be there when darkness falls!" Astrid said and went to go.  
"Wait, Astrid! How am I supposed to get home like that?" Tuff asked and gestured to the huge tent in his pants.  
"Not my business, Thorston. See you later!" Astrid replied mockingly and blew him a kiss.

Tuff watched Astrid disappear. He would just have to wait until he could head home.  
As he turned his face he saw Ruffnut stand at the window, her arms crossed, eyes wide, her expression very concerned and confused.  
When their gazes met, Ruff hurried to get outside the hut and pull Tuff inside.

"What the holy fuck are you doing there, you braindead moron?!"  
Tuff drilled the tip of his boot into the ground, too embarrassed to answer.  
"I've seen you two! First Hiccup, now his wife! Have you lost the last bit of your mind?  
What if someone would have caught you?"

Tuff couldn't still answer yet. He just felt his face heat up, as he blushed fiercely. His ears burned and he could hear his blood rush.  
As he looked down to his shrinking genital he saw a pretty big wet spot on his crotch.  
Ruffnut followed his gaze and as she saw, what her brother was staring at, she quickly turned her head and made a noise of disgust.

"Ugh, Tuffnut! I don't know what I should say. One day you'll be lost and no one will be able to help you then! Shall I give you one of my pants?"  
Tuff only flusteredly stared at Ruff.  
"Well, because you came into _your _pants? You maybe shouldn't walk home like that?"  
"I didn't come. Astrid wouldn't let me. I only may come when she comes over tonight," Tuff quietly explained.__

"If I were you I would wank about twelve times so that you're pumped dry when she comes over. Maybe she will piss off again then." Ruff snarled with a quick glance at Tuff's crotch. 

"I actually like when she comes over," Tuff contradicted and sorted his now flaccid manhood.  
"I don't get it. You seem to like playing risky games. Do whatever you need to do, but don't expect me to save your ass again. I'm sick and tired of watching your self-destructive behavior," Ruff sighed and shrugged.  
"I know," Tuff replied and turned to go.

At home Tuff kicked off his boots and took off his pants and skivvies.  
Damn, he had leaked as if he already had cum.  
He dropped onto his bed and began to stroke his dick.  
Maybe Ruff was right and he should perform like a flop tonight.  
Astrid would be disappointed and go home again.  
But he really liked it, when Astrid pushed him to his limits and denied him to cum or made him wait for relief.  
She always kept control and Tuff willingly gave it up.

The sheer thought of Astrid's wet hole hovering over his enlarged member made him get hard again.  
He couldn't care for Ruff's words, although he knew very well, that she was right – he needed Astrid to come and fuck him.  
Slowly he rubbed his big member, let his hand slide up from the base to the tip, slid down again.

When he had been away from New Berk he wouldn't have masturbated that often – mostly because he'd been too tired to even think about it.  
Being on board a ship had demanded his full concentration and had been hard physical work.  
The best of it was that his mind was occupied and he didn't have to think about Hiccup.  
But now he felt all his suppressed needs and feelings come back to the surface and they wouldn't leave again so easily, he thought.

Tuffnut enjoyed stroking his full length, but to rush an orgasm he used to use another technique – he grabbed his dick right beneath the head and rubbed with short and quick moves and a lot of pressure.  
Shortly before his orgasm, Tuff forced himself to let go of his throbbing cock.  
His balls ached and gained a blueish color.  
Only a few more pulls and he would... No!  
This shot was for Astrid, where ever she wanted to have it.  
And he knew that this shot would be _huge _.__

Astrid didn't come over when darkness fell.  
Disappointed, Tuff went to bed and tried to ignore his tingling balls and his cock, which had been semi-hard for the rest of the day.  
Astrid would have had her reasons to ditch him.  
Maybe it was because of Zephyr. She needed her mom.  
But maybe it was because of Hiccup. Maybe Hiccup knew secretly, where his wife went now and then.

Hiccup. Oh, Hiccup. Seeing him every day made Tuff wish to be able to turn back the time.  
Only once being in Hiccup's arms again, only once kissing him, only once burying his nose at the vault at his neck and smelling the odor of his chief again.

Astrid made Tuff's cock and balls hurt, but her husband made his heart break.  
Would it ever stop hurting?  
Suddenly his throat felt sore and Tuff turned on his side. You won't cry, he told himself.  
Although it still was warm outside he tucked himself into his blanket.  
He needed every bit of comfort he could get now.

Ha, so much for common sense and not even thinking about reuniting with Hiccup again!

In the middle of the night Tuff woke up to the creaking of a floorboard.  
Startled he sat up, just to find himself in Astrid's arms one second later.  
"Hoff, you scared the shit out of me!" he scolded and inhaled deeply to calm down.

"Sorry, I didn't make it earlier! Where have we stopped?"  
Tuff slumped into his pillows and hated himself for being that horny – his dick hardened immediately as he felt Astrid's arms wrapped around his shoulders and chest.  
After rubbing his eyes Tuff sleepily replied: "I guess you owe me an orgasm. But actually, I'm too tired to even move."

"Okay, then I'll tell you something. I did, what you told me to do last time.  
All this looking into Hiccup's eyes and telling him that I understand how he feels and so on – he opened up to me and we kissed for the first time in infinity. It felt good! Your advice really helped. Now I want to say thank you," Astrid smirked and threw the blanket away, just to find Tuff naked beneath.

"You say it as if you did something you just memorized. Did you mean what you told him?" Tuff managed to ask, as Astrid wrapped her hand around Tuff's cock.  
Although he didn't feel like having sex at the moment, his penis told him otherwise.  
When Astrid started to suck him off, he made a low rumbling noise deep within his chest and couldn't help enjoying this treatment.

"Of course I meant it. It's just that I still have to remind myself of being patient and empathetic. As you said, I'm a warrior, not a diplomat. Shall I make you lose your mind now, or do you want to talk about Hiccup until I have to sneak back home?"

"Good cue, A. Losing my mind. It's like you make me lose my mind and I need it sometimes. Not to lose my mind, but my mind. Oh fuck, Hoff! Don't you think we should stop this soon again? I mean your cycle – is it reliable to watch one's cycle? We had a lot of sex within the last two weeks and you know... I can't pull out. I would, but you're too hot and you don't let me and... uh, I don't know -ow -ow, Astrid! We need to talk, could you interrupt that breathtaking, amazing, glorious blowjob for a minute?"

Astrid groaned annoyedly and let go of Tuff's cock.  
Immediately he wished that she would continue, but he had to get a clear thought.  
"Ruff has seen us. She knows about us. She won't reveal our secret, but if she was able to catch us so easily, others could be, too. I don't want you to be caught! I just can't imagine what penalty the council of elders would impose.  
You and I would be punished for betraying the chief.  
Astrid, we may not take that risk."

Astrid held Tuff's cock at the base and squeezed it painfully.  
"But you and Hiccup were allowed to betray me? You took that risk willingly! Why wouldn't you do that for me?" Regretting that she had asked this question, on which she already knew the answer, Astrid sighed and dropped next to Tuff.  
"Come on, spoon me!"

Unhappy, Tuff nuzzled his nose into Astrid's hair, which was down and silky, although a little stuck to her neck because of sweat.  
He looped his arm around Astrid and pulled her close.  
Today he wouldn't have an orgasm, he assumed and cursed himself for not talking with Astrid after she had been done with giving him head.  
His balls felt way too full and ready to explode and his length ached and throbbed.

Astrid wriggled her butt against Tuff's member and made him slide between her legs.  
With her right hand, she lined him up and rotated her hips, moved, and lowered herself, so that Tuff could enter her wet slit.  
The gods of sex seemed to have heard him.  
Tuffnut moaned and struggled to catch his breath.  
But then he rolled Astrid onto her belly and began to fill her from behind – slowly first, so painfully slowly, that he hissed suppressed and tears welled in the corners of his eyes.

When he would cum, he wanted to enjoy it and not rush it.  
Although his raging cock felt like on fire he kept pushing his length into Astrid, and pulling it out again.  
Tuff had laid on Astrid, but now he straightened up, knelt between her legs, and allowed himself to get lost in sensation.  
Astrid arched into Tuff's thrusts, pushed her hips toward him, and exposed her lovely pussy to his full view.

The view on her glistening sex, willingly stretched against his groin, his 8-inch cock dipping into her hole and pulling out again, pulling threads of precum and cervix fluids with it, made him dizzy.

He pushed back into Astrid, nudging her G-Spot and causing her to moan.  
"I want you to come before me!" he growled and clasped his hands to her hips, pulling her closer to him.  
"Then keep on doing exactly that!" Astrid yelled and let her hips rotate again.  
She sped up the pace and shouted out Tuff's name when she reached her climax.  
Her walls clenched tightly for at least thirty seconds around Tuff's cock, which was tensed and ready to release his load.

Tuff continued to fuck Astrid until she crawled away from him, heaving and panting.  
"I'm so sorry, I can't take you any more! Your dick is too big or whatever, I'm too dry now. I guess you overstimulated me."  
"A., I need to cum, I can't suppress this orgasm again. My balls already burst!" Tuff whined and kept rubbing his cock at a steady pace.

Astrid turned onto her back and spread her legs to give Tuff a full display of her sex.  
His gaze switched between Astrid's face and her pussy as Tuff screamed out: "I cum!" and unloaded spasming onto Astrid's belly, her boobs, and unfortunately into her face, too.

Astrid stared at Tuff in shock. His seed stuck to her nose and lips.  
"Oh fuck, Hoff! I'm so sorry!" Tuff still held his cock – he felt relieved, finally.  
The pressure on his testicles had gone, he could still feel shivers running down his spine and his whole body twitched involuntarily.  
As Astrid opened her mouth he expected her to yell at him, and he flinched as a precaution.

But Astrid only licked her lips, glanced down to where Tuff still held his cock, and began to laugh.  
"What the fuck was that? Were you trying to drown me? I hope you don't expect me to clean up that mess!"  
Tuff let go of his penis, leaned over Astrid and licked away the seed from her face, licked her mouth, sucked on her lips, kissed her with fervor.  
The taste of his cum was kind of tingly on his tongue.  
Then he got up to bring a cloth and water.

Astrid followed him with her eyes, not entirely sure if she should be impressed or disgusted.  
But he was Tuffnut, and she was Astrid, so she went with the latter.  
When he reappeared Astrid looked at his face, his long lashes, and eyebrows, both significantly darker than the rest of his body hair.  
Somehow she felt disturbed by Tuff's outer appearance. Why had he to be that blond? His body was toned and slightly muscular, his hands were wiry, his fingers long and slim except from the knuckles, all on him was kind of skinny - so why had his dick to be so thick?

His freckles, his teeth, his silly hair, all of it upset her.  
And he didn't speak, just reached her the cloth to clean herself where she had been soiled or needed refreshment in general.  
All in all, Tuffnut was sweet and caring, wanted her to feel good.  
But Astrid only felt rage out of a sudden.  
After angrily wiping her face and private parts she put on her clothes and stomped to the door.

Flabbergasted, Tuff gaped at her.  
"Don't! Don't say a word," she warned him, then she continued: "That has been kind of gross!"  
"I'm sorry Astrid, I didn't mean to... I couldn't foresee that I would...," Tuff tried to explain and apologize, but Astrid slammed the door and disappeared into the darkness.  
"What the fuck was that?" Tuff mumbled before he slumped into his pillows and thought about his weird relationship with the couple Hofferson-Haddock.  
Eventually, he fell asleep.

Tuff didn't see Astrid the next day and he wasn't very sad about it.  
He knew that she used him to release pressure and for advice according to her marriage with Hiccup.  
What Tuff didn't know was, how long he still wanted to be treated like that.

Another day later Astrid knocked on his door again.  
Tuff opened, but not as warmheartedly as he had used to, the last times.  
When Astrid sat on his bench, a tea in front of her, she mumbled: "I'm sorry Tuff. You caught me right in my PMS that night. It uses to make me very touchy and angry."  
Tuff nodded but furrowed his brows. "PMS?"

Astrid explained and Tuff sighed relieved. "I'm very glad to hear you're on your period. To be honest, I didn't quite trust your cycle watching method. Good to hear that I've been wrong."

During Astrid's period they met and only talked, which was nice and actually helped Astrid solve her problems with Hiccup to some extent.  
Tuff had decided to leave it like that – sex with Astrid was great, but he felt emotionally upset most of the time and thought that it would be better if he cared for his heart and his mental health.

About one week after Astrid had stopped bleeding she awaited Tuff when he came back home from Ruffnut's hut.  
A surprised "Oh" left Tuff's mouth as he saw Astrid lying on his bed with nothing on than her birthday suit.  
She was lying on her side, one leg up, giving him a perfect view of Astrid's vulva.  
He had had some drinks with his sister and now he was a little inebriated.  
That and the fact that Astrid was naked spread out on his bed made him reconsider his decision to not have sex again with her.

Astrid had secretly thought the same: during her PMS she disliked everything, absolutely everything, no matter if it was Hiccup's way to breathe or chew, even the sound of him swallowing his food made her aggressive.  
Clothes felt nasty on her skin and she wanted to cry most of the time.  
Those were the days she usually hid at home, but that night she had bestirred herself and gone to meet Tuff – against her better knowledge.  
So it hadn't been surprising that she was fed up with Tuff quite quickly.  
But it had left a gap, a crack that had driven them further apart to a point, where they could best have taken the chance to part and go back to their friendship, as it had been before.

"I guess I'll have to make it up to you again. You know, that night two weeks ago. I couldn't stop thinking of you the whole day," Astrid said and placed her hand between her legs, her index finger tapped her clit.  
"Oh shit, A. - and I thought... I forgot what I thought. Sorry, I'm a little drunk. You want me anyway?" Tuff asked and felt his pants get too tight in his groin, so he began to undo the cords.

Astrid cocked her head and furrowed her brows for a second. She looked like she had to think about Tuff's words, but then she replied: "Of course, silly!"  
So Tuff yanked his tunic over his head, pulled down his pants, and fell onto the bed.  
"I forgot to take off the boots," his voice muffledly rang out of his blanket.

Shaking her head with a smile, Astrid pulled off the heavy boots from Tuff's feet and also took off his pants.  
Then she rolled him onto his back, knelt next to him, and kissed him with fervor.  
"You taste sweet," she stated and intertwined her tongue with Tuff's.

Tuff turned on his belly, softly shoved Astrid so that she came to rest on her back, legs spread wide open.  
He grabbed her hips and buried his nose in Astrid's pubic hair, put his lips on her clit to suck on that sensitive nub.

Astrid moaned and grasped for the sheets, her knuckles turning nearly white.  
Then Tuff dipped his tongue tip into Astrid's slit, licked her folds, sank into her again, and bit her carefully.  
At some point, Astrid's legs began to tremble – a sign for her forthcoming orgasm.  
The thought of Astrid coming because of his tongue-play let Tuff's cock grow rock-hard and he intensified what he did, but Astrid seemed to have planned something else.  
She grabbed several strains of Tuff's hair and forced him to interrupt his cunnilingus.  
Tuff moaned because of pain and pleasure and suddenly, without realizing how this was about to happen, Astrid sat on his lap, his cock deep within her.

Astrid enjoyed every of Tuff's 8 inches inside her and felt her slick wetness covering his pulsating sex.  
She rose and sank back onto his dick, impaled herself, and enjoyed the sensation of being completely filled.  
Tuff scratched Astrid's back, sucked on her collarbones, lowered his lips to suckle on her nipples.  
The alcohol let him act more unrestrained than the other times and he took the risk of leaving marks of their intercourse.  
Astrid didn't seem to mind and bounced on Tuff's lap, clutching her hands to his shoulders, digging her nails into his skin.

Fueled by Astrid's arousal Tuff felt his orgasm build up at the root of his dick, somewhere between his prostate and testicles.  
His shaft widened and his glans felt overly sensitive, there was no way holding back his climax anymore.  
Luckily Astrid came just at that moment, her vagina twitched and clenched around Tuff's aching cock.  
Astrid pressed herself down, forced Tuff deep into her, her body clung to his so tightly – and she felt him coming, his dick pumping hot seed into her, felt how he squirted several times, felt how his body went limp after his orgasm – then they collapsed, fell onto the mattress and stared at the ceiling.

"Holy Thor, Tuffnut! That was insane!" Astrid said and looked at him.  
Tuff's chest was heaving while he tried to catch his breath. He nodded frantically.  
Astrid placed her head onto Tuff's arm and curled up to his side.  
Both remained silent for quite a while, each hanging on their own thoughts.  
Thoughtfully Astrid took one of Tuff's dreadlocks and played with it.  
Then she looked at his face and felt a wave of warmth wash over her heart.  
Oh gods, she was about to fall in love with him!

"Hey Tuff, you wanted to say something earlier," Astrid whispered and shoved Tuff's shoulder.  
Tuff, who was already dozing off, startled opened his eyes and replied: "Huh? I have to pee," before his eyes fell shut again.  
"I'm pretty sure it has been something different to that, but I guess I won't find out what it was tonight," Astrid sighed when Tuff began to snore softly.

Astrid cleaned herself and dressed, then she turned to the door.  
Before she left she leaned over Tuff, covered him with his blanket, and pressed a kiss to his lips.  
Drowsily he returned the kiss, let his tongue nudge Astrid's lips.  
"Have a good night, sweetie," she whispered and Tuff opened his eyes for a moment.  
"Don't go," he mumbled and held on to Astrid's forearms.  
"I _have_ to go," she answered and her heart skipped a beat.  
"I have to go, too. But I don't want to get up," Tuff murmured sleepily and rolled onto his belly.

Astrid looked at him, shrugged, and went to the door.  
She turned around and watched Tuff for a while.  
Then she blew the candle out and sneaked out into the moonlit night.  
What a wonderful goodbye! Now that she began to develop feelings for the male twin it was of course no longer possible to be friends with benefits.  
Also, sex with Hiccup had become more frequent and enjoyable again.

The next day Tuff and Astrid accidentally met on their way to the well.  
"Hey! Do you remember again, what you wanted to say?" Astrid asked and swung her buckets. Zephyr, who hopped in front of Astrid carried a small bucket, too.  
"I guess so," Tuff replied and blushed, "but I don't want you to think that I took advantage of you last night."

"Much rather did _I_ take advantage of ___you _.____ I have been the sober one at last," Astrid whispered.  
Tuff and Astrid walked along the road, their bodies quite close, shoulders and arms touching occasionally.  
"I wanted to bid you to end our... whatever it is. Friendship with benefits? Affair? I love you as a friend and I do love the sex we have, but it's driving me crazy. Not the sex, although it does drive me crazy and that's awesome, I mean the circumstances," Tuff rambled and scratched his neck, peeking over to Astrid to catch her reaction.

Astrid looked at Tuff and felt relief, although the rejection also hurt.  
"You're absolutely right. I don't know how much Hiccup might know or suspect at least, but to me, he seems quite jealous. At least for the last two weeks. Maybe because our relationship has distinctly improved. Thanks for your advice and food for thought.  
You know, you changed something about me."  
Astrid would have loved to kiss Tuffnut, she would have loved to ignore the rest of the world, but she felt that her heart belonged to Hiccup and that she was very grateful for Tuffnut's help.  
"You're very welcome, A," he replied and inconspicuous squeezed her hand.

They arrived at the well and began to fill their buckets.  
"I hope Hiccup feels the same way about it – he doesn't look so very appreciative right now," Tuff added and pointed at the chief, who stood on top of the stairs in front of the great hall.  
"No, he doesn't look so happy at all."  
"Daddy looks angry," Zephyr confirmed and reached for her bucket, that Tuff had just filled.  
She smiled widely at the lanky man and Tuff felt as if he hadn't ever been away, as if he had known this little sunshine right from the start.

He tapped Zephyr's little nose and said: "You know what, little Valkyrie? One day I'd love to have a daughter as cute and smart as you are!"  
Zephyr giggled and ran around the well, spilling her water all over the ground. After her round she came back and held her bucket out to Tuff.  
"Fill it again, please?"  
"Of course, milady!" Tuff answered and filled it again.  
Carefully, the little girl balanced her bucket and went ahead on her way home.

Tuff felt his heart sink, as he realized, that he would never have a family of his own if he stayed on New Berk.  
With a sad smile, he said goodbye to Astrid and headed home.

Later that day he left his hut to get some food.  
He didn't expect anything to happen, as someone dragged him inside the narrow aisle between Ruff's hut and the Bjarnskar-hut – again.  
He was pushed to the wall – again.  
But this time it had been Hiccup's green eyes, which glared down at him, Hiccup's hot breath on his face which made him get wobbly knees.  
But instead of pressing his lips onto Tuff's, the chief hissed, while he tugged on Tuff's collar and forced him onto the toe tips: "Keep your hands off my wife!"

"Hey chief, nice to see you, too," Tuff scoffed.  
"I know that she visits you, when she leaves the house without telling, where she goes. Or she tells me lies about where she goes. But I know it's you! I can smell you on her!" Hiccup pressed Tuff further to the wall.  
"Calm down, Hiccup! It's just talking. We're friends, you know?" Tuff tried to convince the chief, but Hiccup continued to glare hatefully at the blonde, who had been his lover once.  
And maybe was his wife's lover _now_.

Hiccup felt torn and jealous because Tuff had been _his_ lover, not Astrid's.  
And Astrid was _his_ wife, not Tuffnut's.  
During the last weeks, it had become so much better with Astrid.  
Such as it had back then when he had started to hang out with Tuff.  
Due to the walking and talking, but also to the exceptional sex.  
Hiccup didn't want his wife to have exceptional sex with his ex.  
_He _wanted to have exceptional sex with his ex himself!  
Damn, it was much too complicated.__

____

"I know you pretty good, Thorston! I doubt you only talk! Just let me warn you: I watch you and I know ways to get rid of you!" Hiccup spat.  
Tuff turned his face away from Hiccup, he couldn't stand seeing him like this.  
The eyes that once had looked at him with love now were full of hate.  
The lips that once had covered his body with kisses were twisted into a grimace.  
Tuff didn't recognize his ex-lover. Tears were pooling at the corners of his eyes and a heartwrenching sob built up in his chest.  
The love he had felt for Hiccup until now changed into another feeling just as strong: fear.

He had lost him and all his hope for a reunion, as ridiculous as it may have been, was gone.  
Tuff couldn't stop his tears from falling. He tried to hide behind his hair – as he always did when he wanted to hide from the world.  
Suddenly the closeness he used to enjoy once felt threatening and cold.  
Unfortunately, Tuff's brain sent ambiguous signals to his body.  
Hiccup's body warmth, his smell, his breath on Tuff's cheeks made Tuff feel aroused, let his member grow harder, let his anal sphincter twitch.  
But his heart felt broken, torn apart and Tuff wished badly for it to stop beating immediately.

Hiccup looked down, caught a glimpse at the tent in Tuff's pants, which he had once admired so much, secretly still did, but he also was disgusted.  
Did he want to kiss Tuff, for the very last time? Yes and no. Much rather he wanted to beat the living stuffing out of him.  
With a jerk, he slammed Tuffnut against the wall so that the shorter one's head smashed painfully against the hard and rough surface of the hut.

Tuff hissed and squeezed his eyes shut, sank onto the floor, sat leaned against the wall, pulled his legs up, cradled himself, tried to disappear.  
He didn't look up when Hiccup went away without saying any further word, but he felt the emptiness he left behind.  
Full of grief he couldn't hold back the tears and sobs anymore cried in the somber aisle, where he had made some of the greatest sexual experiences he could ever imagine, and where he had been broken today.  
His crying was left unnoticed by the passing villagers.  
Only one person noticed his presence: the one person, who had always felt raging anger and horrific sadness seeing Tuffnut hurt.

Ruffnut.


	4. A rough time ahead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiccup has made it unmistakably clear that he doesn't want any contact with Tuffnut anymore.  
> In a little talk, Ruffnut finds out the true reasons for Hiccup's behavior.  
> Now it's her turn - again - to save Tuff, even if it contains lying to her twin.  
> Just as Tuff recovers enough to live on his own again Astrid shows up - and she has surprising news.

When Fishlegs came home his girlfriend jumped up from their bed and furiously stomped towards him.  
Fishlegs flinched and made a startled noise.  
"Could you do me a favor?" Ruff yelled and grabbed Fishlegs collar.  
Instead of punching him she pulled him down and pressed a kiss onto his lips.

"Keep an eye on him. I don't know what he's going to do if we leave him alone.  
Yes, I'll explain later and no, he won't stay here. I'll be right back, hun!"  
Then Ruffnut rushed away, heading for the great hall.

Hiccup was having consultations and Ruffnut's wrath was boiling over.  
This skinny asshole of a chief had waited for her brother in his lunch break and destroyed him in passing before he had returned to his chief job.  
Ruffnut had to take a hold of herself, while she waited until all the others were gone.  
When the last one had left and she was next in line, Hiccup asked: "Ruffnut? What can I do for -," but he was interrupted by a hard punch into the guts that he didn't have foreseen.

"For _me_?! You can't do anything for me, but you can do a lot for the other Thorston! What was that today at noon? In the aisle? I've seen you two!  
I've seen how you've treated him! I have sworn to not interfere because you are grown-ups, but now I have a miserable pile of gay shit lying in my boyfriend's bed! He's crying so hard that I'm afraid that he'll run dry until tonight!"  
Ruffnut paced up and down in front of Hiccup, brushed her bangs behind her ears again and again.

"Fuck, Hiccup! I thought you were through with each other! You hardly talked within the last six weeks and now you hide in the shadows to wait for him and threaten him? I -I don't get it! I didn't expect you to be like that!" Ruff yelled, upset like seldom before.

Hiccup, still bent over, coughed and tried to straighten his body.  
"He fucks Astrid," Hiccup managed to shout back.  
"And you cheated on Astrid with Tuffnut! Don't you think your behavior is quite hypocritical?"  
"I – yes, but... I don't know. Oh, gods, I don't know!" Hiccup slumped over and started crying.  
It was quiet in the great hall, Ruffnut's footsteps had faded and all which could be heard was Hiccup sobbing.

When he had calmed down a little Ruff had pulled him up and tugged him out, so that they could walk for a while.  
"I'm so terribly jealous! I love Astrid and _he_ is having sex with her! And I love _him_ and Astrid is having sex with him. I'm so afraid to lose Astrid. I'm afraid that they could turn their back on me and go away because they have found out that they fit much better than him and I or Astrid and I ever would.  
Ruffnut, it was so hard to lose _him_ , I couldn't stand losing Astrid as well.  
I would love to be together with both of them, but the villagers wouldn't understand... they would think he is my or Astrid's male mistress.  
I have to take responsibility, even if it means to deny a part of me."

Ruffnut sighed annoyedly: "First of all, _he_ has a name! Why don't you call him by his name?"  
"If I did I couldn't stop. Can you imagine how it would be for Astrid if I mentioned his name every two minutes like 'hey, did you know Tuffnut actually knows how to cook? Tuffnut can kiss much better than you. Sex with Tuffnut is much more satisfying. Tuffnut smells so good. Tuffnut, Tuffnut, Tuffnut! All of what I just said is true! And there's so much more. It all has to stay in here."  
Hiccup pointed to his head, then to his heart.  
He wiped away some tears.

"Ew, you think that he smells good? Maybe you could stop comparing Tuff and Astrid. And maybe you could talk to Tuffnut. I mean, so really, as we do right now. That's what you two were famous for back then. The king and his fool. You can't leave him like that. Please Hiccup, look at what you've done and straighten it out," Ruff replied pleadingly.

Hiccup shook his head, more tears streaming down his cheeks.  
"I can't, Ruffnut. I just can't. If I talk to him... I can't. I love him so much. Even after all these years. I wouldn't be able to resist. But I don't want to hide him. He deserves better than being a mistress. He deserves to have a family on his own. A wife on his own."

Impatiently Ruff tapped her foot onto the ground, then she yelled: "He doesn't want a wife! He wants to be part of your family. I bet he would be happy if you hid him under the carpet, the main thing is he can be with you."  
"Ruffnut, it's not only about what I want and what he wants and what Astrid might want, it's about what the village needs, what it deserves, and what it can take! Enough people are having an eye on me and waiting for me to make mistakes.  
There's a resistance movement since the dragons are gone and I have to prove my worth as a chief every day anew!  
The council of elders is infiltrated by Spitelout and a lot much worse guys.  
Don't make me choose between my people and him. I can make this decision in only one reasonable way and that is when I stick to the conventional way."

"And why, the bloody Hel, couldn't you have told Tuffnut that exactly like that?" Ruff yelled and rose her fist to punch Hiccup again, but let her hand sink again as Hiccup desperately cried: "I would have kissed him! Don't believe that I would ever let go of him again if I once had grabbed him! I would be fucking the daylights out of him right now!  
Ruffnut, it's emotionally much too loaded to talk reasonably."

Ruffnut's body went limp and she whispered with a broken voice: "Then there's no way? Hiccup, I can't stand seeing my brother like that. My heart breaks every time I look at him. He once used to be unconcerned and carefree, he had enjoyed life and he was funny... now he's only sarcastic and gloomy.  
I guess the reason to fuck Astrid was that he needed some attention. So did Astrid, if you ask me. You three are the loneliest people beneath the sun. And the most stupid, too."

In the meantime, Fishlegs carefully tried to find out, what had happened and sat down on his bed, next to the sobbing twin.  
The open display of feelings made him feel very uncomfortable.  
Fishlegs liked to approach things logically and practically – but what was offered to him now couldn't be solved that way.  
Here he had to show tact and sensitivity.

"So, uh, Tuffnut – would you like to – uh, well – to tell me what is bugging you?"  
Tuffnut didn't reply but continued sobbing and whining.  
Fishlegs felt already annoyed. Every toddler provided more information than the crying mess Ruffnut had left him with.  
"I mean, uh, can I do something for you?" Fishlegs asked again and hoped for an answer. Sitting on the edge of his bed, watching the male twin getting his pillow wet with tears, snot, and saliva, and doing nothing wasn't something Fishlegs could easily take.

A muffled cry came out of the oozing pillow: "Bucket!"  
Tuff's whole body was trembling and he felt his stomach turn.  
Ruffnut had taken precautions and placed a bucket next to the bed, well knowing that all the trembling and shaking and convulsive twitching would make Tuff throw up after a while.  
Fishlegs looked around, found the bucket, reached it to Tuffnut, who struggled out of bed and noisily parted from his few stomach contents.  
Of course, he continued sobbing all the time.

"Good Odin, what in the world could be so bad that you have to cry like this? Has someone died?" Fishlegs groaned but he received no answer, Tuffnut only cried harder into the bucket.  
"Hey, now get a hold of yourself! What's wrong?"  
"I-I... I wish I was dead!" Tuffnut yelled at Fishlegs, got up, and stumbled over to the corner of the room, where Fishlegs had fled to.  
Tuff threw himself at Fishlegs, wrapped his arms around his torso, and just continued sobbing and crying.

Fishlegs took Tuff's hands away, placed the emotionally wrung out man onto the bench in the kitchen, and fetched a cloth to wipe his face.  
Then he put a water kettle onto the stove and prepared tea.  
When the tea was ready Fishlegs placed a cup of the hot drink in front of Tuffnut, who sniffed the ascending vapors.  
Fishlegs smiled softly. Apparently, Tuff was back among the living, although he didn't look much alive.  
With his large hand, Fishlegs gently shook Tuff's shoulder and said: "Fennel. It's good for your stomach."

Ruffnut and Hiccup walked back to the great hall.  
"So, I guess I'm now in the walking business too, right?" she grinned lopsidedly and hit Hiccup with her elbow into the ribs.  
Rubbing his side, Hiccup smiled back, very weak but honest.  
"Maybe it's a family business, eh?"

"Do me a favor, Haddock," Ruffnut demanded and looked deep inside Hiccup's eyes, "Tuff may never know that you still love him. He would never stop trying to win you back if he knew. It seems that he has to go through that. Again.  
And you could try to control your jealousy.  
Some day you might attract the villagers' interest by losing your shit in public."

Hiccup nodded and wiped his eyes. "How do I look?"  
"Pretty shit, I would say. Who cares? Astrid has seen you looking worse. And you're not meeting anyone else tonight, are you?"  
Shaking his head, Hiccup quickly patted Ruff's arm and went up the stairs to his hut.  
Before he entered he turned around and quietly said: "Thank you, Ruff. It's so damn hard to keep all to myself."  
Both exchanged a last glance, then Hiccup shut the door and Ruff went home.

When Ruff came back she met Fishlegs' grumpy glare.  
"Don't do that ever again," he lowly grumbled.  
Ruff glared back, uncomprehending. "What do you mean?"  
"Your brother! He's asleep now. Can you imagine what it took me to get him there? He's worse than a toddler!  
First, he cried, he spread his snot all over my pillow, he threw up. Three times. Once into my sink. He drank fennel tea and burnt his tongue.  
He cried again. He had to pee. He complained about the pillow. Now he uses yours."

Ruff chuckled and hugged Fishlegs. "You only had to embrace him, stroke his back, hold his hair while he pukes and tuck him in again. There's nothing complicated about that."  
"Says you, you know him best. I was silly enough to believe that I could talk with him and that it would be helpful." Fishlegs shrugged.

Ruffnut sighed and nuzzled her boyfriend's nose.  
"Promise that you won't talk with no one about what I tell you now. Not even Hiccup or Gobber. I'll try to summarize it:  
In spring four years ago, shortly after their wedding Hiccup and Astrid have realized that they don't have much in common, especially since they were no Dragon Riders anymore. Astrid tried to find her place and Hiccup tried to learn to be a good chief, but they hadn't learned yet to play together as a team – the leading team.

Hiccup had strolled around and someday Tuffnut had joined. They have walked and talked and after several weeks they found out that -"

"No," Fishlegs interrupted with a low scream. Tuff shifted under the blanket and talked in his dreams.  
"I guess I know what you want to say. How could I have been so blind?"  
Ruff continued quietly: "They had an affair. For about a year, until Astrid got pregnant. Then Hiccup broke up with Tuff and Tuff went away to forget Hiccup, to find himself or wank a lot, who can tell.

When he came back two months ago it seemed to have worked, both treated each other politely. But for a reason only _they_ know he and Astrid started an affair.  
Hiccup knew from the beginning where Astrid went when she left their hut.  
He was jealous because Tuff was fucking his beloved _Astrid_.  
And he was jealous because Astrid was fucking his beloved _Tuffnut_.  
And he was fucking no one at this time.  
But just as the affair with Tuff has helped Hiccup back then to get better along with _Astrid_ , the affair with Tuff has helped Astrid now to get better along with _Hiccup_.  
Now Hiccup and Astrid fuck again and their relationship seems to get better."

Fishlegs gulped noisily. "That's a lot of fucking," he said with a hoarse voice.

Ruffnut continued: "The problem is, that Hiccup seems to have enemies and they keep an eye on him, awaiting his failure.  
He could never keep Tuff as his lover, although he loves him dearly.  
Hiccup had to pretend to hate Tuff for fucking Astrid, so he could push him away and make Tuff believe to be unwanted so that he won't start another try to get together again.

Hiccup made it quite rudely clear to Tuff today that he doesn't want any more contact. He totally killed his hope. It's mean and it hurts and yeah, we all Know Tuffnut is easily hurt, very much hurt and it's the end of the world to him now.  
So, it has broken Tuff's heart and he has collapsed. I brought him here, it's been the shortest."

"Ruffnut, you shouldn't have told me. How am I supposed to keep that secret? How shall I behave when Hiccup is around? How can I see them together without imagining..." Fishlegs whined and kept cupping his own face.  
"You won't see them together. I'll care about that. When Tuff wakes up I'll bring him to my hut and I'll stay there with him for the following days. Maybe weeks, I don't know. It will take time to recover."

In this night Tuffnut slept between Ruffnut and Fishlegs and it had been a restless night; Tuffnut woke up frequently and when he did, he was startled, turned to his other side, curled up to Ruffnut, but also to Fishlegs.  
It still was warm outside and Fishlegs started to get sweaty, especially when Tuffnut crawled closer and nuzzled into his broad frame.  
It hadn't been the first time that Fishlegs and Tuffnut had slept close to each other, but the first time that Fishlegs had to share his bed with a lovesick Tuffnut who was crying in his dreams.  
And everywhere was his god damn scratchy hair!

The next morning came way too fast and Tuff climbed over Ruffnut to stretch his sore body.  
He sat down on the kitchen bench and stared out of the window.  
The sun rose and the day seemed to get warm again.  
How could the world keep on turning, how could everyone move on and he still was the same, although he felt like someone different?  
Tuffnut knew that he couldn't go home yet. Too many memories would make him feel devastated.

But he also couldn't stay here. And he didn't want to stay at Snotlout's home – Snotlout was traveling on business and Tuff just didn't feel at home at Snotlout's place.  
Of course, he didn't want to separate Ruffnut from Fishlegs, but he hoped to be allowed to live at her hut for some days.  
Best together with her.  
He had no clue if he could make it on his own.

Together with Tuffnut Ruffnut moved into her hut, where she hadn't spend that much time the last year. She did everything so that Tuff could recover.  
She let him sleep, she cooked soup and tea, she cuddled with him and after a week she told him an invented version of the conversation she had had with Hiccup.

"Hiccup is furious because you bang Astrid.  
First I wanted to beat the shit right out of his skinny body because he treated you like crap and then I realized that maybe he isn't that wrong.  
Tuffnut, it already had been a problem when all was new here on New Berk and you fucked the chief, but now the problem is way bigger because the said chief has settled and founded a family and you go into the next fling, this time with the chief's wife!

Hiccup is being watched by the council of elders, and Spitelout is in it! Spitelout!  
One mistake of Hiccup and he'll find more reasons to get rid of him.  
And within a split second, he can get rid of _you_ , too! And also of _Astrid_.  
He has _power_ , Tuffnut.  
Hiccup is afraid that you will play into Spitelout's hands with your frigging behavior.  
You ruin his reputation. And his wife's reputation. It's all politics, bro.

Hiccup has to run a village, an entire island, and its people. And you disturb the order.  
Just stay away from him. And Astrid. Keep your fucking dick inside your pants, that won't be so difficult, will it?"

A spark of hope flared up in Tuffnuts eyes and his face brightened: "You said it's all politics. Hiccup never wanted that. So, what if he just passes his chieftain duty on to someone who really wants to do that job and is better suited?  
I could convince him to leave with me, Hiccup has always believed in true love-"

" _Astrid_ is his true love! And he fights for this love, don't you realize?  
He loves Astrid and wants you to stay away from her, from him, and let him do his job without you making it more difficult than it already is.  
Tuffnut, Hiccup doesn't love you! He doesn't! He doesn't want you near him."  
Ruffnut had interrupted Tuffnut and became louder with every word she said.  
She slammed her fist onto the table while she spat the last words, well knowing that she was telling a big fat lie.  
A lie to save her brother's, trustful heart.

She hated herself for causing such irreparable damage and horrendous pain, but she had to. She had to save Tuffnut.  
"Go on with your life, bro. Leave the Haddocks in the past. You're so young. Move on and find someone. Or stay on your own, whatever makes you happy. But please leave the Haddocks alone."

"Did he say that? That he doesn't love me? That he doesn't want me? Ever again?" Tuffnut asked from behind the curtain of his hair.  
"Yes," Ruffnut whispered and couldn't look Tuffnut in the eye.  
"Alright then. I guess he could have told me differently. He did not have to lie in wait for me in a dim aisle. Maybe I should go over and tell him what I think about his behavior!"

"Didn't you listen? Let go of Hiccup Haddock! Please!"  
"But Ruffnut, maybe that is my last chance-," Tuff tried to explain, but Ruffnut cut him off again.  
"No, Tuff! There's no chance. He has been very clear with that. You two are not meant to be."

Tuff nodded, then he jumped up and ran for the sink, where he threw up.  
His whole body defended itself against this information.  
When he had rinsed and wiped his mouth and cleaned the sink he put on his tunic, took an ax from the wall, and left Ruffnut's hut.  
"I need some time on my own," he mumbled and slammed the door behind him.

"Yeah, piss off, you fucking pain in the ass! If you knew what I'm doing here for you, I'd expect you to be at least a _little_ grateful," Ruff beefed just before she realized what Tuff had taken with him. "Oh fuck!"

Quickly Ruff left her hut and ran into the direction where she supposed Tuff might have gone.  
She knew him well enough to know, that he preferred to work with his own weapons and she was right; Tuff went to his hut and came out with his mace and a spear soon after.  
Ruff followed him to make sure that he wouldn't go to kill Hiccup – or himself.  
She sneaked right after Tuff until he stopped in the forest at a clearing, where several trees already must have suffered from a treatment similar to the current treatment: Tuffnut threw Ruffnut's ax at the tree, and Ruffnut was amazed by his accuracy.

After numerous attacks with the ax, tuff changed to his mace and hit a young birch so often and so hard that it broke.  
Again Ruff was amazed, but this time by Tuff's strength and rage.  
With a bloodcurdling scream, Tuff hurled the mace away from him, so that it got stuck in another tree behind him.  
He took the spear, weighed it in his hand, and dropped it next to him.  
Then he sat down between the ferns and moss, hid behind his hair, and cried.  
Ruff's heart missed a beat and she didn't know what to do.

If she gave up her cover she would have to explain why she had secretly followed her brother, but if she stayed behind the shrubs she had the feeling of letting Tuff down.  
"Screw it," she mumbled to herself and stalked out of the bushes.  
Tuff didn't react when Ruff knelt next to him and pulled him into a firm embrace.

Ruff didn't talk either. She let her twin cry and just held him, his right cheek pressed to her chest.  
To calm him down Ruff swayed and gently rocked him, stroking and kissing his forehead.  
After a while, she tried to catch his eyes and looked askingly at Tuff.  
He nodded, sighed deeply, and got up.

Tuff pulled the ax and his mace from the tree trunk. Ruff took his spear and plucked at Tuff's tunic.  
He wiped his nose with the back of his free hand and then wiped his hand on Ruff's tunic. She punched his arm and he smiled.  
The day was safe.

They entered Tuff's hut to bring back his weapons.  
Tuff went straight into his pantry and also took some of his supplies with him.  
Ruff felt much better now; when Tuff was hungry he was on a good way.  
"What do you say? We take some of your dried meat and berries and mead and I go over and scavenge Fishlegs' pantry. He always has several pieces of the good cheese at home."

Tuff chuckled. "And what do you contribute to our feast menu?"  
"I? My dear brother, you ate all the vegetables I had, because I cooked soup for you every day.  
I also provide you a bed and the possibility to puke into my sink when you're drunk and I won't complain about it. And now shut up and move your scrawny butt out of here!"

That night Ruff and Tuff prepared a meal which lit up their mood and they didn't miss on getting a little drunk.  
Tuff told Ruff about his feelings and wishes in a rational way and without crying.  
Ruff told Tuff about her life situation and how much she enjoyed living with Fishlegs, although she missed the times when they had been flying on their dragon.

"I can't believe it's already five years without Barf and Belch. What have we been carefree...," Ruff slurred.  
"Nah sis, we have never been carefree! When we have been little kiddos we have lost so many companions. I can hardly remember, I only know because mom told us how Snotlout's older brother Scofflout died during a raid. Or how the Ingermans sent her daughter Marigold away with their oldest brother Taproot so that they were saved.

First, there had been raids by the dragons, then there had been raids because of the dragons, we have fought so many fights, we have won wars... and we're only so young! Damn, Ruff! Our life has _never_ been carefree. We just used to think less. For the first time in our lives, we can enjoy what we have."  
With these words, Tuff became very sad again.  
"Let's talk about something different. Although I really enjoy hanging out with you and I'm grateful for all you have done so far I'd rather enjoy myself on someone else's side."

"I know, bro. Sorry," Ruff patted Tuff's shoulder and went to bed.  
Soon after Tuff followed her and fell asleep quite quickly.  
He had nightmares nonetheless.

Tuff stayed with Ruff for another two weeks, then he felt strong enough again to go home.  
Ruff had cared for a stable psyche so that Tuff wouldn't have the idea of committing suicide.  
Still sad, but not hopeless he returned to his hut.

When he opened the door he made a startled noise, then he gaped surprisedly at Astrid, who sat on his bench.  
"I didn't expect you here," he said.  
"Where have you been for the last weeks? I only saw you from behind once or twice and then you disappeared somewhere. I think Ruff was with you every time I saw you."

Tuff sat down across Astrid and folded his hands.  
"I've spent the last weeks at Ruff's hut. With Ruff. I haven't been doing fine. She took care of me. Why do you ask?" Much rather he wanted to ask, what Astrid knew. He decided to wait for what to come.

"Well, I wanted to talk with you for the last week. But I always found your hut abandoned. I wanted to give it a try again."  
Tuff got up. "Would you like to have a cup of tea?"  
Astrid shook her head and got up too.  
"I'd prefer to walk a little."

Tuff and Astrid left his hut and until they reached the forest no one spoke a word.  
Both peeked at each other, noticed dark rings beneath their eyes.  
"You don't look so good," Tuff blurted out and Astrid shoved him slightly.  
"I know, but you don't have to point it out to me."  
Carefully she took Tuff's hand and let go of it again as she felt how Tuff's body stiffened.

"I'm pregnant," she whispered.  
Tuff's head sped around, his eyes wide open. After his first shock, he looked straight ahead, cleared his throat, and said through gritted teeth: "Congratulations. I bet Hiccup is very happy."  
Astrid looked down, saw Tuff clenching his fists so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"Yeah, I guess he is. He is, but only for 50 percent. Maybe that is because he suspects something. And I do, too," Astrid stammered and kicked some pebbles.  
Tuff furrowed his brows and looked at Astrid in utter confusion.  
She looked back, saw Tuffnut's asking expression, and groaned: "I think that Hiccup is not the father of this child."

Tuff rose his brows even higher and Astrid had to laugh out loud to this view.  
But then she got serious again. With annoyed amusement, she asked: "Are you deliberately playing dumb?"  
Tuff stopped. "No."  
After a few moments he said "No" again, but this time it was because of disbelief.

"Yes."  
"No!"  
"Yes!"  
Silence.

"You're not kidding me?" he wanted to know, his whole body trembling.  
Astrid shook her head. "Gothi has confirmed the pregnancy. And I counted the days back and forth and... there's a minimum probability that Hiccup is the father. But most likely it's you."  
Tuff looked to the ground, his right hand held his left arm to restrict the tremor.  
When he looked up again his lower lip was trembling too.  
"I'm gonna be a dad," he whispered almost soundless.

He suddenly grabbed Astrid by the waist and swirled her around, pressed her to himself, pressed a wet and sloppy kiss onto her lips, before he sank to his knees.  
His right ear rested on Astrid's belly, his arms were wrapped around her hips.  
Softly he mumbled: "I already love you, little bean! More than you could ever fathom."  
The tremor was gone, Tuff was calm as hardly ever before during the last weeks.  
He kissed Astrid's belly countless times, pulled her shirt from her skirt, kissed her skin, nuzzled his nose to her belly button.

Then he began to cry again.  
Astrid had watched him, was overwhelmed by his reaction.  
She remembered Tuff taking care of Fishlegs' niece and nephews, taking care of Wingnut, the little Razorwhip dragon, which had decided to make Ruff to a Wing Maiden for a short time.  
She remembered how devastated Tuff had been when he had to leave WIngnut behind.  
She remembered their talk on The Edge when Throk had come for Ruff and she had decided to stay with Tuff, both not ready to let go of each other yet.

But one thing was for sure; Tuff had known that he wanted to found a family once. He loved kids.  
Of course, he was chaotic and weird and of course, he would be a chaotic and weird dad, but a loving and caring one too.

Suddenly Tuff froze. It took a while until he was able to move again.  
He got up from the ground, took Astrid's hands, and didn't dare to look into her eyes.  
"What if it really is my child? Would Hiccup... Have you a clue what he would do?" Tuff swallowed and his throat felt like laced up.

Astrid shook her head.  
"I told him that I'm having this baby, no matter what.  
He suspects me to be pregnant from you, but he can't prove it. He wants this child. He won't do anything.  
Well, I don't know how it's gonna be after birth, but Hiccup stands to his word. And he loves me, so..."  
"But he hates me!" Tuff whined. "He wouldn't treat this child differently just because it's probably not his?"  
Astrid shrugged. "I don't know. But as far as I know Hiccup he'd fall in love with the little one as soon as he sees it."

What Astrid and Tuffnut both didn't assume was that Hiccup was happy about this pregnancy indeed.  
He was happy to raise the child of Tuffnut with Astrid. The child of love. The child the two men would never have been able to produce.  
So Tuff would be part of the family somehow.  
And Hiccup would somehow stay connected to the man he loved the most on earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a one-shot, a short explanation for my headcanon, that Tuffnut is Nuffink's father.  
> Now I have a four chapter fic and still, one more chapter will follow. At least.


	5. Daddy issues

Astrid's second pregnancy started as her first had and as most pregnancies did – she felt sick and had to throw up frequently.  
Her mood was unstable and her breasts ached.  
For the first time in her life, Astrid wished she had a friend who already had children.  
There was so much going on with her body that she couldn't assign or just had forgotten about.  
And she refused to consult Gothi for every minor ailment.

Fishlegs visited Astrid pretty often to bring her fennel seeds or ginger so that she could make herself a nice tea against her sickness.  
Astrid didn't leave their hut for quite a while, because she was afraid she could have to vomit in public.

Hiccup tried to organize everything that Astrid was craving: berries, apples, pears, salted fish, dried meat, cheese, pickles, juice, and nuts.  
When Astrid didn't vomit, she ate.  
It didn't take much time and Astrid gained weight, especially since her belly grew.  
Of course, she thought, I'm pregnant.  
But secretly she was afraid that she could look like a female Fishlegs within few weeks.

Her breasts were saggy and felt stretched, her stretch marks reddened and Astrid felt uncomfortable.  
So she forbid herself to eat all the food she craved for so badly and forced herself to leave the hut.

Hiccup was at work and she didn't know where to go.  
She was not so keen on talking to Fishlegs, who seemed to conceal something – maybe he speculated if she was carrying twins because of the size of her belly and had a bet going with Snotlout.  
Ruffnut wasn't a friend to talk about pregnancy stuff. Actually, Ruffnut wasn't her friend at all.  
Snotlout was away on a business trip. Astrid wouldn't have liked to see him anyway. He used to stare at her boobs all the time.

So she went where she actually shouldn't go: Tuffnut's hut.  
She knocked vigorously and yelled: "Tuffnut Thorston, open the door! Here's your chieftain and she requests admissibility!"  
Astrid heard Tuff laugh and steps approach.  
When he opened the door he could catch a look on Astrid leaning over the handrail, puking into the shrubs around his porch.

"Nice to see you too," he chuckled and crossed his arms in front of his chest.  
Astrid waved in his direction, then she showed him the middle finger.  
"Oh milady, I feel honored. Wanna come in, drink a cup of tea?" he offered.  
"Fuck off with any kind of tea! Fishlegs forced me to drink his nasty tea for the last three weeks. He said it would help against the sickness."  
"I see it works," said Tuff and caught a punch at his arm.  
"Ouch!" Tuff and Astrid yelled at the same time, Tuff rubbing his arm and Astrid shaking her hand.

"Anyway. I have to pee, can I use your privy?"  
"You didn't ask if you were allowed to puke into my garden, so I guess you don't have to ask for permission to use the privy. I mean, now that you have decorated my plants with the contents of your stomach you practically marked this hut as yours, so go where ever you feel like."

Astrid quickly hugged Tuff and kissed his cheek. "I really missed you! I'll be right back."  
Tuff grinned. "Take your time, Hoff. I'm busy anyway."  
When Astrid came back Tuff hurried to hide the things he was working on.  
"You said you're busy. Shall I come back later? What are you doing, by the way?"

Tuff got up from the bench, shoved Astrid softly onto the bench, and sat down on a chair next to her.  
He placed her feet onto his lap, took off her boots, and began to massage her feet.  
"Oh, that's so good. You never cease to amaze me. Is there something you can't do?"  
Tuff thought about an answer, then he shrugged and smirked: "No, not really."

Astrid gently slapped his shoulder.  
"You look good. Much better. How are you now?" she wanted to know.  
She didn't know about the incident between Hiccup and Tuff, didn't know about Ruff's talk with Hiccup, didn't know about the story Ruff had told her brother, and that Tuff believed that he better should stay away from her. And of course Hiccup at last.  
Astrid only knew that Tuff had been off for about three weeks before she had told him about the pregnancy.  
That also had been the last time they met.

Now she was a little sad that Tuff hadn't come over to visit her or to pick her up to go for a walk.  
He had withdrawn and Astrid didn't know how to explain it to herself, but she had a slight feeling that she wouldn't get an honest answer if she asked Tuff for the reason he had stayed away.  
They had decided to be just friends.  
Was that the reason?

Something must have happened, she thought.  
This something had been Tuffnut telling his sister that he was going to be a dad.  
And said sister literally ripping his head off, scolding and cursing him to Niflheim and back and in the end reminding him to stay away from the Haddocks.

But now Astrid was here and he wouldn't kick her out.  
"Pretty good. How have _you_ been, A?" Tuff asked and couldn't help peeking at her cleavage.  
Astrid inhaled and her chest was heaving, then she replied: "Always the same. Sleeping, puking, eating, crying, and all over again."  
He gulped and put Astrid's feet onto the floor.  
With a hoarse voice, he mumbled: "So, almost the same, as with me."  
Then he hurried to cross his legs and prop up to his thighs to hide a certain bulge.

Astrid furrowed her brows and looked at Tuff's posture that didn't look comfortable in any way.  
"Is everything okay?" she asked and leaned forward to catch his eyes.  
Unfortunately, she gave a better view to her breasts with that and Tuff jumped up, headed to the kitchen counter, and roamed his cupboard for something.

"You behave weird! What's wrong with you?"  
Tuff struggled to think and stuttered: "Uh, well, uh... it's because, eh, you know, it's been six weeks and I... uh!"  
Swallowing hard, Tuff turned his back on Astrid. Holy Loki, was he ashamed.  
He hadn't had sex for six weeks and hadn't even put his hands on himself, so he felt loaded.

Until that day Tuff hadn't felt like masturbating, because he still was emotionally torn up, but now...  
Now a simple glance at a dressed female breast was enough to let his member grow rock hard.  
Astrid got up from the bench and slid into her boots.  
She surely would leave if he didn't answer.

So he took a deep breath and admitted: " I looked at your gorgeous breasts and now I have the boner of my life!"  
Then he held his breath and shut his eyes until he heard Astrid come closer.  
Tuff opened his eyes again and looked at Astrid.  
She stood across from him, leaned at the kitchen counter, and let her eyes rest at his crotch.

"I almost forgot how big you are," she sighed.  
Then she kissed his forehead, turned around, and went to go.  
At the door she turned to him again and said: "I come picking you up tomorrow. I need exercise. Maybe you should polish the family jewels before?" she said and blinked.  
When she shut the door behind her Tuff exhaled.  
Damn!

The next day Astrid knocked at Tuff's door.  
She had brought a basket with food and a jug with juice.  
"I wanted to pick you up for a picnic," she smiled.  
Tuff had to pull himself together to not place a kiss onto Astrid's lips.  
They left his hut together, Astrid hooked into Tuff's arm, swinging the basket with her other arm.

"Shouldn't I carry the basket?" Tuff asked and rose one brow.  
Astrid laughed, a sound he had missed.  
"No, it's not that heavy. I'm pregnant, not ill," she answered.  
This day they decided to sit down near the cliffs.  
While they ate both watched the horizon.  
"Do you sometimes expect to see a dragon flying across the sky?" Tuff asked suddenly.

Astrid nodded, then she glanced sadly over to Tuff.  
"There are days when it hurts as if they had just left yesterday."  
Now Tuff nodded and for a while, no one said a word.  
Astrid leaned her head against Tuff's shoulder.  
"That feels so good. It has been weird without you. Much weirder is that I say something like that.  
When we've been younger I would never have suspected to once say that I would ever miss you. But here we are."

Astrid let her hand find its way through Tuff's hair to reach his neck, to tenderly stroke it. Her fingertips tingled and felt electrified with every touch, but she didn't stop fondle Tuff's soft skin.  
Tuff couldn't suppress a moan and leaned into the touch.  
Instinctively he turned his face to Astrid's face until their noses were touching.

"We're friends, right?" he asked and was surprised by the raspy sound of his voice.  
"Of course we are. Best friends." Astrid replied.  
"Just friends!" Tuff stated and withdrew from Astrid. No one could ever imagine how much self-control was needed to not close the distance between them, but to increase the distance.

Astrid sighed. Tuff was right to keep the distance.  
Why had it also felt so right to be so close to him?  
"Would you help me up?" she asked and Tuff grabbed her hands to pull her up.  
Astrid couldn't have foreseen to lose the balance and fall onto her butt, making Tuff stumble and fall, dropping to the ground next to her.

Their faces were so close again. This time Astrid wouldn't miss the chance.  
She pulled Tuff down to her, pressed her lips onto his, opened her mouth.  
His hot breath tickled her lips and she smiled.  
"I guess I kinda missed that too."  
"We really shouldn't do it, Hoff!" Tuff contradicted between desperate kisses.

Astrid reached down and got a grip of Tuff's cock, just about to harden.  
"You're absolutely right, better let it be," she gasped and kissed Tuff even harder.  
"I'll get up now," Tuff said and brought his right hand beneath Astrid's shirt, groping over her warm belly, reaching up until he cupped one of her breasts.  
Tuff moaned throatily and Astrid couldn't help but making noises of pleasure herself.

"I'll take my basket now and go home. It's getting chill, don't you think?" she asked after a while, while she opened the cords of Tuff's pants.  
With a quick move, she had freed his throbbing dick from his undergarment and rubbed it eagerly.  
"I'd feel pleased to accompany you," Tuff replied, pulling down Astrid's leggings.

"Sure. We could stop at your hut and have a final cup of tea," Astrid suggested as she lined Tuff up to herself.  
"Let me just quickly put on water and get out two cups," Tuff panted and cupped both of Astrid's breasts, sucking on the erect nipples.

"I guess the water is boiling," Astrid moaned and ground her crotch at Tuff's cock.  
"How would you like to have your tea? Hot -," Tuff shoved his entire length into Astrid's waiting core, "Or would you prefer to wait until it has cooled down?" he withdrew again, only the head of his cock touching Astrid's folds.

"I like it hot," she answered, grabbed Tuff's butt, and pulled him close so that he was completely sheathed by her.  
"And I like it sweet," Tuff responded and started to thrust into Astrid.  
He licked her auricle and whispered breathlessly: "Sweet and with a spurt of cream!"  
"Oh Gods, Tuff! I won't be able to drink ever a cup of tea again without thinking about you fucking me. You feel so good inside me!"  
"I don't hurt you, do I?" he asked and looked at Astrid's face.  
"No! No, that feels great. Just go on," she replied and urged him on with her own hips' movements.

Tuffnut continued impaling Astrid with his large cock and soon felt his climax develop within his balls.  
His upper thighs felt tingly and twitched spontaneously, he felt a shiver down his spine and his heartbeat rose.  
Although Astrid had recommended polishing the family jewels, Tuff couldn't make him touch himself.  
Something felt wrong about it, but he couldn't tell what it was.  
And now his body prepared to release the first cumshot for six weeks.

If Astrid just wouldn't rush him that much!  
Out of a sudden, she slowed down, ground her sex painfully slowly over Tuff's groin, took him so incredibly deep with every thrust.  
She either had realized that she wanted to enjoy their intercourse a little longer, or she teased him on purpose, now that his climax was so close.

"I love it when your gorgeous boner fills me," Astrid gasped and arched into Tuff's movements.  
"I love to be so deep inside you. You're so tight that it hurts," Tuff replied and propped up on his arms.  
The changed angle made both inhale deeply with pleasure and Tuff's cock throbbed.

Astrid grabbed his shoulders and started to set the pace ferociously.  
"Yeah, just like that! Oh, Tuffnut, fuck me!" she grunted and rocked her hips desperately.  
"Hoff, slow it down, I can't keep up with that for too long," Tuff restrainedly muttered between clenched teeth.  
"Don't you dare to slow down now!" Astrid groaned and glared furiously at Tuff, who focused on holding back his climax.

He could best describe the feeling down south as a sheet of very thin paper that was supposed to hold back the outburst of a geyser.  
Astrid brought her hands down and grabbed his butt, dug her fingernails into his soft flesh, pressed him to herself, sped up once again.  
Tuff was lost.  
The last bit of self-control, this imaginary sheet of thin paper, got blown away by shooting floods of hot seed.  
He shuddered and shook and twitched and grunted and shouted out his pent up lust.

Astrid needed only a few more minutes, and although Tuff wasn't as hard as before, she came, a wave of fire washed over her cunt, her walls contracted hard and her clit twitched frantically.  
Tuff dropped to the ground, pulled Astrid close, kissed her forehead and her cheeks, finally the tip of her nose.  
They smiled at each other, satisfied and loving.

Tuff gently stroked Astrid's face with his fingertips, his expression was soft but serious.  
"I just can't resist you. Do you think we should avoid seeing each other? I mean because of... Hiccup. You said that he suspects me to be – I still can't believe it – the father of that little one. And now we're... Astrid, I'm afraid that we could seriously fall in love with each other."

Astrid scooted away from Tuffnut so that she could better look at him.  
"That won't happen! We're just friends! Forgot?" she said and just realized that she already had fallen in love.  
Not seeing Tuff for several weeks had been okay, but only because she had been busy struggling with pregnancy issues.  
Now that they were reunited she felt whole again.  
It felt natural and right.

But she understood, what Tuff was up to.  
It was too dangerous to keep their affair up.  
Although she knew that it would get hard.  
"Let's go home, it's really getting chill," Astrid said and chattered her teeth.  
Tuff took the blanket, they had sat and fornicated on, shook off the blades of grass and dust, and put it around Astrid's shoulders.  
"There you go. Come on, Hoff, you're freezing!"

They reached Tuff's hut first and Astrid decided to come in to warm up for a moment.  
"I don't dare to offer you one, but would you like to have a cup of tea with me?" Tuff smirked and prepared water.  
"In case you don't want one, don't kill me for asking. I could use a hot drink at last."

Astrid agreed to a cup of tea and had to laugh about the metaphor.  
Tuffnut wasn't everyone's cup of tea.  
He was her cup of tea.  
They had shared a cup of tea.  
And Tuff had given the cream.

Before Astrid left to go home Tuff held her back.  
"Wait, A. You know, this could be my only chance to experience pregnancy with a child of mine being involved.  
I wanted to say that I'm here for you, no matter what. I won't let you down.  
And him. Or her."  
Tuff got on his knees, squished his face to Astrid's belly, and kissed the skin below her navel.  
Then he quietly spoke to the fetus: "Hey baby! You won't ever call me dad. You won't grow up living with me. But I want you to know that I love you. I'll always be here for you. I'll be the friend in need, your funny uncle, whatever you need me to be. Maybe I can't give or teach you much, but all I own is yours. All I know and what also makes sense I'll pass on to you."

Astrid's heart pounded in her chest, only with an effort she could hold back the tears which Tuff elicited from her.  
Well, Astrid knew that being pregnant also made her highly sensitive, but Tuff's words hit her heart.  
She caressed his face and let him nuzzle into the tiny bulge behind which their child laid, safe and sound.

Weeks went by, autumn turned to winter and it became cold. Snow fell and Astrid and Tuff preferred to stay inside.  
There wasn't any fun in walking around with soaked boots and freezing cold limbs.  
Every time they met Tuff had prepared something nice for Astrid and the baby – he once had baked a cake, which tasted pretty good although it was burnt.  
Another time Tuff had tried to make apple juice. His kitchen was ruined and so were most of the apples, but he could offer something different from tea to drink at least.  
Astrid had helped him to clean his hut and bake apple pancakes from the sad remainings of what once used to be his fruit supply for the winter.

And whenever Astrid left Tuff kissed her and then her growing belly and told the tiny human inside her how much he loved it.

Seeing him being the ideal partner for a pregnancy tied up her throat: Tuff deserved having all that officially. He deserved being proud and telling people about his child, but he seemed to be satisfied with being allowed to sing to Astrid's belly in secrecy.

Hiccup was as excited about this child as he had been about Zephyr.  
A completely new human was growing inside his wife's belly and at Snoggletog he could feel the little one kicking.  
"The baby kicked me," he said in astonishment.  
"Yeah, that little warrior is kicking way more often than Zephyr. Seems to be fidgety. I can barely tell where it will kick the next time because it moves so much."  
Hiccup cared lovingly for Astrid, wanted her to feel cared for and loved.  
He also kissed the belly and stroked it, let his warm hand rest on the bulge, and felt the tiny unknown person curl up to his touch.

Zephyr was excited because she hoped for someone she could play with.

Hiccup hadn't seen Tuff for weeks, only accidentally, when he rushed over the place to meet his sister or Snotlout.  
He always felt his heart wrench and fight.  
Although he loved Astrid from the bottom of his heart and finally felt happy again with her he missed Tuffnut dearly.

He knew that Astrid and Tuff met and that they most likely still had an affair, but he didn't mind in the usual way: he wasn't the jealous husband who would come after the cheaters and beat up his wife's lover.  
Of course, he was jealous, because Astrid and Tuff were kind of allowed to live and experience what Hiccup was denied.  
The council of elders kept calm, but they also kept an eye on him

Hiccup knew by Snotlout that in case he failed a takeover of power already was planned.  
So Hiccup tried to be an exemplary chief.  
And he couldn't join into the love triangle.  
Sometimes he was mad at Tuff because he just wouldn't disappear from Hiccup's life.  
He wanted him back with every fiber of his body – and not only because Astrid now had him.  
Of course, it had been possible that he just got carried away by the thought that Tuffnut could have been the love of his life, but back then Hiccup believed in true love. And that he had found it in the male twin.

It took all of his willpower to function as usual and as required and often Hiccup was exhausted from being chief and having all the responsibility.  
Although Eret helped a lot, he couldn't take the pressure from him.  
In fact, it became just harder with Eret at his side because a lot of people didn't trust the former trapper.  
The reason was, well, that he was a former trapper.  
But Eret was a great advisor and Hiccup very much appreciated his advice.  
Hiccup, who had been different from birth rallied weird people around him and his way of reigning was incomparable to Stoick's way.  
Hiccup hated that times had become so difficult.

Spring came and Astrid grew bigger and bigger.  
And the bigger she grew, the hornier was Tuffnut each time they met.  
He was in love with her fertility, loved her full breasts, the swollen belly.  
When Astrid had enough of Hiccup's laying on of hands, she went to Tuff and he touched her properly.  
But sometimes she also had enough of Tuff.  
Actually, it would be okay to send all men to Niflheim, wouldn't it?

"You look like a goddess, Hoff!" Tuff said full of admiration.  
"I look like a balloon!" Astrid sighed and tried to breathe, but there was hardly enough place for herself in her own body.  
"I think your skin is glowing," Tuff managed to state between the uncountable amount of kisses he placed on Astrid's neck, trailing down to her rounded boobs.

"Ugh, Tuffnut! Take that away from me!" Astrid groaned and tried to shove him away.  
"What do you mean?" he asked and looked around, confusion in his eyes.  
Rolling her eyes, Astrid nodded towards Tuff's crotch.  
"Wh- You mean...?" With a sad puppy-gaze, Tuff looked at Astrid.  
"Okay, to be clear, so that you understand: Take your penis away from my body. I don't want sex right now."

Tuff pouted and slid away from Astrid.  
After a while, he asked carefully: "Did I do anything wrong?"  
But instead of an answer, he received an annoyed grumble.  
"May I jack off at least?" he dared to ask after another few minutes.  
Astrid turned to him and glared at him with narrowed eyes.  
"Are you serious?" she asked and jumped out of Tuff's bed.

She tried to bend over so that she could take her clothes from the floor, but she couldn't reach so far down.  
Tuff watched Astrid labouriously trying to gather all her clothes and after some moments he got up and helped her pick up her stuff.  
When he straightened, Astrid, still halfway kneeling, had a direct view of his member.

"Tuffnut! Do you want to poke me an eye out? Would you please put on your underwear? I'm so fed up with seeing your hard-on all the time!" Astrid shouted angrily.  
"Sorry, I couldn't guess you would react like that. For your information, he won't disappear just because you yell at him, you know?" offended Tuff looked for his own clothing, and dropped onto his bench moments later.  
With spread legs he sat at the table, taking a jug with juice to pour it into two mugs.

Hesitantly Astrid came closer and sat down across from Tuff. She took one of the mugs and sipped her juice.  
After a sneak-peek under the table, she noted: "You're still hard."  
Tuff snorted. "You're still sexy."  
Astrid's grip around the mug tightened and Tuff noticed her irate expression.  
"I'm sorry. What's bugging you? I mean, we had sex nearly every time you came over for the last three months. And today you treat me like..." Tuff thought about how Astrid treated him, but he found no answer.

"I dunno. Tell me, if you like," he said, reaching out a hand and Astrid took it.  
"Well, I feel so bad. I look like a Gronckle and I smell like a Zippleback! I can't see my feet anymore. I'm either hungry or sick and I have to pee all the time!  
Hiccup always looks at me as if I was a fragile plant and he only touches me with fingertips! Zephyr doesn't care about my pregnancy at all and continues jumping and bouncing on me like a yak gone bonkers! And you..." Astrid glued her gaze at Tuff's face.

"You try to mount me whenever I come through that door! Do you even still realize that I'm more than a pregnant sex-machine? Do you still notice me through your haze of arousal?  
I don't know what it's about that you dig my body so much, and actually, it's flattering, but I feel neglected!  
I don't want Hiccup to lay his hands on my belly and giving the baby knocking signs and I don't want you to always want to have sex with my bloated body!  
I want to talk! I want to be noticed! I'm more than just my body!" Astrid scolded upset, then she started crying.

Tuffnut got up and sat down next to Astrid again, pulling her into a hug.  
"I never meant to make you feel bad. Quite the contrary.  
Unfortunately, I can't be with you and support you in everyday life, so I want to make you feel good within your little everyday life breaks.  
To me you look like a goddess of fertility, you're capable of creating life and nurturing it. You're the source of life and I feel highly alive when we're together."

"Tuff, you fetishize my pregnancy!"  
"I don't!  
"Do too! But I don't want to argue. Ouch, the little one is breaking my ribs!" Astrid squawked, surprised about the severity of the kicks she received.

Tuff got up and took Astrid in his arms. She now was certainly heavier than himself, but he didn't let the effort show.  
Carefully he let Astrid down on his mattress and knelt in front of the bed, so that he could lay his face onto her belly and with that talk to the baby inside.  
"Hey babe, your mom might be a warrior and she can take a lot, but it's quite unfair to kick her guts from where you are.  
I mean, she gives you life. She makes me the happiest guy on earth."  
With a look full of love Tuff gazed up to Astrid.

"It works, the baby calms down. I guess it likes your voice," Astrid smiled and stroked Tuffnut's cheek.  
Tuff climbed into the bed and pressed himself at Astrid's side, continuing to tell the baby stories and sing to it.  
Astrid laughed but hated it. She loved Tuff's voice, but he couldn't sing at all.  
Wait, she loved his voice? Hadn't she thought that she liked him best when he kept his mouth shut? And when had that been, a lifetime ago? Had it been only eight months?  
She could hardly imagine what had happened within this short span of time.  
Her life had turned upside down and it still was the same at last.

Musing about her near future she lost track of what Tuff told her, or furthermore her baby. Their baby.  
It must have been something about Yaknog, she thought because Tuff shuddered and retched.  
Then she dozed off.

A few days later Astrid visited Tuff again. And this time she required a real fuck.  
"Hiccup won't touch me like a human, but like a tiny bug, as if he was afraid to crush me!"  
"So, you first had sex with Hiccup and now you want sex with me? Do you think that's okay? Not that it would bother me, but maybe it's kind of unhealthy for your vaginal flora. And probably there's still something left from..."

"Tuffnut, don't make me punch you! I know where your dick has been and that you surely don't mind being in touch with Hiccup's seed, as far as there's some left, which I highly doubt! So, wanna praise my goddess-like body or stand there and think about Hiccup's cock?"

Tuff flinched and felt hurt.  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, A! What's wrong with you? You lately told me I shouldn't always think about sex when I see you and now you stomp inside my hut and want me to do exactly that what you didn't want me to do when you've been here last. You confuse me! And I don't think about Hiccup's cock, well, right now I do, but only because you said that I would and now I can't stop thinking about it and you drive me crazy, woman!"

Astrid groaned and tapped her foot onto the floor.  
Then she began to put off her clothes, exposing her rounded breasts with the darkened nipples, her huge belly.  
Tuff rubbed his eyes with the fingers of his right hand and tried to distract himself from the view of Astrid's back, her juicy buttcheeks, her pale thighs.

"Hoff, I don't want to have sex with you," he tried to convince her, but his voice sounded brittle and weak.  
After climbing onto his bed, leaning against the headrest Astrid spread her legs, giving a full display of her sex.  
"Don't do that to me," Tuff mumbled barely audible, and squirmed.  
Of course, his member proved his words wrong, expressing the entire opposite of what he said by standing fully erect between his legs.

"Oh come here! I know you want it," Astrid cooed and rotated her hips.  
Gripping and squeezing his dick, Tuff turned away from Astrid.  
Only once in your life, you should listen to Ruffnut's advice and not think with your dick, Tuff thought.  
The lack of blood available to provide proper brain function made it even harder to focus on Ruff's words.

Astrid became impatient and crawled over Tuff's bed reached up and yanked him down on his hair.  
Tuff struggled and tried to get out of Astrid's grip, but he also was afraid to hurt her.  
Although being heavily pregnant, Astrid was strong, fast, and determined.  
She brought Tuff down without much effort and straddled him.  
"No, Hoff! That's rape!"  
"It's not rape when both want it," Astrid replied and pinned Tuffnut's wrists to the mattress.

She leaned down to kiss him, but Tuff turned his face away.  
So Astrid kissed his neck, sucked on his throat, and bit him.  
Being pleased like that Tuff couldn't hold back the moan that rumbled deep within his chest.  
He squirmed and thrust forward, felt bad anyway.  
Astrid let go of Tuffnut's wrists with one hand to pull down his pants.  
She took a moment to admire his fleshy length.

"Astrid, I know I said it before and I'm kind of a pain in the ass, but we shouldn't do it. I'm not I the mood," Tuff gasped and tried to wriggle out of her hold.  
Astrid expelled a furious scream, grabbed Tuff's throbbing cock, and bowed it down.  
The sudden infliction of pain made Tuff utter a deep groan of pleasure and he tilted his head back.

"Oh, that's what you want, you kinky bastard! You want pain? I'll give you pain!"  
Astrid let go of Tuff's dick, which snapped back and hit her butt.  
She giggled and latched at his nipples, sucking on the small nubs, increasing the suction until she had a good part of his flesh between her teeth. Her moist slit hovering over his dick let her lust come to a head – she only had to lower herself. His glans already nudged her folds.

Tuff's areolas now were colored purplish and Astrid dug her teeth into his skin.  
He whined and arched into Astrid's torture.  
That desire made him buck into the warmth between her legs, but Astrid teasingly withdrew every time, so that Tuff only poked her groins.

Tuff felt overwhelmed by the mixture of sheer arousal and emotional despair.  
The whole situation made him think too much about Hiccup and he didn't want to think about him anymore.

**_Hiccup kissed a trail down Tuff's neck and playfully circled Tuff's nipples with his tongue._ **  
**_Tuff winced and arched his back. "Bite me," he groaned and Hiccup asked: "You sure?"_ **  
**_"Sure I am, bite me!"_ **

**_Hiccup carefully pulled Tuff's nipples with his teeth and the blonde expelled a long loud moan._ **  
**_Hiccup got more aroused as heard that and rolled his hips against Tuff's groin._ **  
**_He kissed all the way back up to Tuff's neck, where he bit him, too._ **

Astrid had let go of Tuff's wrists and scratched over his ribs, brought her hands back up, and clasped at his shoulders.  
Her thumbs wandered towards Tuff's throat, where she pushed carefully beneath his larynx.  
With widened eyes, Tuff stared at Astrid, who seemed to enjoy strangling her lover slowly.

Determined, Tuff grabbed Astrid's hands and croaked: "You fight with gloves off, Hoff! That's unfair and besides; if you want me to fuck you, you should stop it anyway, unless you want me coming without having even entered your puss!"

Astrid didn't reply, she just slid down on Tuff's leaking member.  
His arousal had peaked when she was choking him and all he could do now was holding himself back, while Astrid rolled her hips to his.  
When Tuffnut had learned something during his time with Astrid, it was self-control.  
Astrid bounced on Tuff's lap, her belly and breasts bobbed with every movement and her cheeks were flushed.

It didn't take her long to feel the well-known waves of her forthcoming climax whip through her lower abdomen.  
"You close?" she yelled and Tuff could only answer with nodding and a grunt.  
Astrid slumped forward, grabbed and pinched Tuff's buds, and elicited a low scream from him, as he came.  
Her own body twitched and shook when her orgasm washed over her and let her uterus contract.

Still shuddering she slid off of Tuff and dropped next to him, turning on her back.  
She held her belly and gasped for air.  
Tuff turned to her and propped up on his left arm. "You're mean, Hoff!" he huffed and kissed her mouth.  
His right hand was softly placed on Astrid's bulging tummy and he playfully nudged her sticking out navel.

"Your belly is really hard," he announced with furrowed brows and felt a little butt poking into his palm.  
"It's because of the orgasm. That and nipple stimulation make it grow hard."  
Tuff now smirked and wiggled his brows: "Nipple stimulation also makes me grow hard."  
Astrid laughed and punched his shoulder.  
When Tuff sat up cross-legged he noticed his seed dribbling out of Astrid, but also something else that sparked his concern.

"You're bleeding Astrid," he said and his stomach turned.  
"Oh, that could be because you irritated my cervix. During pregnancy, the cervix and the uterus are particularly well supplied with blood."  
Astrid cuddled up to Tuff's legs, but he got up and mumbled: "I have to go to the privy, sorry!"

In fact, he needed to get the circulation going and to get away from the blood. He was no healer and also not the brightest, he knew that himself, but blood during pregnancy couldn't mean anything good, could it?  
Lost in thoughts he pushed the door open and left his hut – his pants still pulled down.  
Not that the village wouldn't have seen him like that before.

On his way to the privy, he contemplated Astrid's work on his nipples, each of them surrounded by a deep purple hickey.  
The fresh air helped him regain a clear mind.  
When was Astrid due? Was sex like that still appropriate?  
While Tuff relieved himself he heard a cry from out of his hut.  
"Gods dammit," he cursed and hurried to get back in.

Pulling up his pants he stumbled into his hut, where he found Astrid on his bed, curled up to a ball, more blood seeping from her sex.  
"My water broke," she cried and held her belly, while a contraction let her grow stiff.  
"Oh fuck! It's too early, isn't it?" he stuttered and collected Astrid's clothes from the floor.  
"Put on your shirt, I'll bring you home!" Tuff demanded, but Astrid couldn't move.

After the contraction, she weakly tried to sit up and Tuff helped her to slide inside her tunic.  
When he had jumped into his boots and put on a tunic himself he wrapped Astrid into the sheets she was laying on and took her in his arms.  
Astrid squirmed and fidgeted which made it more difficult to carry her, but Tuff could be strong if he had to and now he _had_ to.

"Hiccup!" Tuff yelled from the bottom of his lungs when he was in front of the Haddocks' hut.

Hiccup rushed outside, his eyes flicked between Tuff and Astrid, who moaned and panted.  
Sweat beaded on her forehead.  
Villagers gathered around them, curious and concerned because of the noise they made.  
"Someone, go and get Gothi," Hiccup shouted and took Astrid from Tuffnut's arms, turning to bring her inside.

"You'll be fine. Gothi will soon be here. I'll bring you to our bed," Hiccup muttered.  
Valka, living next door came out of her hut, pushed the door open for Hiccup, and went inside to pick up Zephyr.  
Before Hiccup and Astrid disappeared inside their hut Tuff yelled again: "Hiccup!"  
The pleading look in his eyes was heartwrenching.  
"Go home Tuffnut! I don't want to see you again," Hiccup responded with a glare.

The last thing Tuffnut saw from Astrid was she reaching her hand out for him.  
Then there was silence.


	6. China in your hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Astrid's in labor.  
> The baby's birth is four weeks early and Astrid loses a lot of blood.  
> Will she and the baby survive?  
> What will happen to Hiccup and Tuffnut?

The crowd broke up and everyone returned to what they were actually doing.  
It began to get dark and the alley cleared.  
Tuffnut stood in front of the Haddocks' house and didn't know what to do and where to start.

Suddenly he heard someone running in his direction.  
He turned around and saw Ruffnut and Fishlegs approach quickly.  
"What happened? What have you done?" Fishlegs wheezed and earned an angry look by Ruffnut.  
She slowed down and came to stop in front of Tuff, holding on to his shoulders, gasping for air.

Then she wiped Tuffnut's hair out of his face.  
"Wow, you look pretty wasted. What's wrong? Sven knocked on our door and told us something's wrong with Astrid and you were involved."  
Tuff stared at his sister. "I guess Astrid's in labor now," he whispered.  
"But she's only due in four weeks! It's too soon! The baby won't probably make it," Fishlegs stammered.

Tuffnut's legs gave in and he dropped onto the stairs.  
"What happened?" Ruffnut asked, rubbing Tuff's back.  
"You better don't wanna know," Tuff replied quietly. His face had become almost white and his legs were shaking.  
Then he looked up to Ruffnut, his eyes were full of tears.

"Her water broke. There was blood."  
"Yeah, there's also blood on you. And then?" Ruff wanted to know.  
"I don't know. I carried her here."  
Ruffnut and Fishlegs exchanged a look full of concern.

At that moment Gothi arrived.  
She passed Fishlegs and Ruffnut and stopped next to Tuff.  
With gentle force, she grabbed his chin and turned his face towards hers.  
After a long and impenetrable gaze, she patted his cheek and gave him a tiny crooked smile.

"What- what was that?" Tuff asked as Gothi had entered Haddock's manor.  
"I guess she knows who is responsible for all the fuss," Ruff shrugged.  
"She knows that I made Astrid bleed?"  
"She knows that you made Astrid pregnant!" Fishlegs yelled suppressed.  
"Sorry, shouldn't have said that," he apologized right after.

"Who else? Who else knows about it?" Tuff whispered and clenched his fists.  
"At least we do. But that's it. I told Fishlegs because I had to talk to someone too. Unfortunately this someone acted quite suspiciously.  
He couldn't stop staring at Astrid's belly, every time they met. I had to slap the back of his head every now and then." Ruff stated and crossed her arms.  
Inside the hut, Astrid was screaming, only seconds later Hiccup shouted something, probably trying to communicate with Gothi.

"I- I must go. I must do something," Tuff muttered, got up, and paced over the stairs.  
"Go get Astrid's stuff out of your hut. Go for a walk. We'll stay here and wait for you," Ruff suggested and slightly shoved her brother away.  
Tuff strode ahead, then he started running.  
Too much adrenaline was circling in his veins and he couldn't sit and wait.

When he arrived home he lit a lantern and looked for Astrids pants, boots, and her fannypack.  
He wanted to sit down on his bed, but he couldn't look at the bloodstains on his mattress.  
So he extinguished the light and left home again.

Arriving at Haddock's manor he felt his legs becoming heavy and powerless.  
He passed Astrid's stuff to Fishlegs and fell onto all fours.  
"Is it my fault?" he sobbed and Ruff, now kneeling next to him replied with a shrug: "Yeah, somehow. At least you're the one to blame for that little bump."  
Ruff made a gesture implying a huge belly.  
"But I don't think that it's your fault that Astrid's in labor. You know, that's what happens at the end of pregnancy. And just imagine, it's very likely that there will be a tiny human leaving her body in the end."

Fishlegs pulled Tuff to his feet and accompanied him to the stairs.  
"Sit down. You should eat or drink something, I'm worried about your blood sugar. We don't need you to collapse. Snotlout has gone to bring some furs. We're staying here with you as long as necessary."  
Tuff wiped his eyes and made himself as small as possible.  
"Thank you, guys," he said barely audible.

Fishlegs had brought his self-made power balls, containing linseed, figs, ground hazelnuts, and some kind of syrup.

Tuff couldn't make himself eat more than one – then his teeth stuck to each other and he felt sick.  
But he managed to down two jugs of water.  
He looked way better after drinking and he felt his strength regaining.  
Unfortunately, his energy level allowed him to walk around again.

Snotlout, lying on a fur groaned: "It won't be over faster just because you run around like a lunatic. Would you sit down for five minutes, please? You're driving me insane!"  
Tuff didn't reply but kept striding over the stairs and the place in front of Hiccup's hut.

Snotlout and Fishlegs eventually fell asleep and Ruffnut joined Tuffnut pacing along.  
"It's been hours, Ruffnut. Every time she screams it makes the blood in my veins freeze!"  
"Birth needs time. I don't know exactly _what _about it takes all the time, but it's not unusual. Try to relax."  
"Ruffnut, it's my baby being born. And all I can do is waiting. I can't do anything."  
"Bro, even if you were allowed to go in, you couldn't do anything. You already played your part in this procedure eight months ago. Now it's up to Astrid. You pushed it in, she pushes it out!"__

____

Tuffnut moaned at Ruff's words and dropped on the stairs again. "I'm so tired," he muttered and rubbed his eyes.  
"So then sleep a little."  
"I can't, I'm too sick!"  
"Then go and stick a finger into your throat."  
"No, thanks. I'd have to taste Fishlegs' sugar bomb for a second time, I'd rather spare that."  
Ruff shrugged. "Fine. Relax, then. Sit down, lean back, enjoy the show."

____

"I'll go to the well, I need more water," Tuff stated as the door opened and Gothi appeared.  
She pointed at Tuff and gestured to come in.  
"Who? _Me_? And Hiccup?" he asked flustered.  
Gothi gestured, that Hiccup had fallen asleep.

____

Astrid laid on the bed, her legs were covered with a thin sheet.  
There was blood on the sheet, on the floor, even on Astrid's face.  
She was pale and her eyes flung open as she heard Tuff's boots shuffle over the floor.  
"Hey, there you are," she smiled weakly and took Tuff's hand.  
He felt how powerless she was and softly squeezed her hand.  
"Can I do anything for you?" he whispered.  
"I wish you could stay with me. Hiccup is driving me nuts, he's a nervous wreck. Gothi had to give him some henbane sap to make him relax and sleep."

____

Astrids eyes rolled back and she drew in her breath forcefully, before she expelled a long grunt.  
After the contraction, she explained quietly: "I'm hot and cold at the same time. Gothi made me walk around so that the little one could come deeper into my pelvis. The baby is too small, you know? It's not anywhere near the due date."

____

Tuff laid down next to Astrid and pressed himself to her side.  
She gazed into the distance and thoughtfully mumbled: "I know what they said. They thought I was asleep, but I was just resting. They said that it's likely that the baby won't make it. And me neither."  
Astrid laboriously tried to get up and panted because of exhaustion.  
"I need water, could you give me my mug?"  
Tuff reached her the mug, he also wiped her forehead and helped her kneeling when the next contraction hit her.  
Astrid had looped her arms around his neck and hung slumped over.  
"You're the strongest person I know! You're a warrior Astrid, you won't die," Tuff whispered. Tears were streaming down his cheeks.  
"Even a warrior's body has limits, Tuffnut. The contractions are erratic and too weak. And the pain... I don't think that I can stand this for another six hours. You can't win every fight. But I wanted to let you know that I don't regret anything. I love you, Tuff."

____

Tuff couldn't reply. Silently he cried at Astrid's neck, his tears soaked the collar of her gown.  
After minutes of partially holding his breath to suppress his sobs, he swallowed and asked: "Is it my fault? Have I done something wrong? Am I the one who's killing you? And the baby?"  
Astrid stroked Tuff's cheek. "No, I don't think so. Sometimes things like that happen."

____

Over Tuff's shoulder, Astrid could see Hiccup moving on his chair.  
"Get out of here! Hiccup's waking up and he wouldn't be very pleased to see you here. I tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen."  
Astrid shoved Tuff out of the bed.  
"Go now. I wanted to see you again, in case that... you know. Go."

____

Tuff turned to go, but then he came back, fell onto his knees, and kissed Astrid.  
Words weren't needed.  
When he got hit by Gothi's cane he made off, just in time to get out of the hut without having been noticed by Hiccup.

____

Stumbling but quiet, Tuff left the hut and plopped on the stairs, collapsing onto his side then.  
He could become hysteric now or he could stay calm and wait.  
But even if he would lose his shit and give in to his wish to destroy something he would have to wait.  
And right now he didn't want to cause more anger.

____

Ruffnut wrapped a blanket around him and put his head on her lap. She stroked his hair until he drifted into a shallow and restless sleep.  
Tuff woke up as the sky began to brighten, the first birds were chirping.  
It was cold and he felt moist and sore.  
Ruffnut was leaning on his hip and snored softly. A thread of drool connected her mouth to his leg.

____

Fishlegs and Snotlout were still asleep too.  
No resident of New Berk seemed to be up already.  
Or the villagers avoided this part of the village at all costs.  
"Ruff, let me get up," Tuff whispered. His entire body ached and his bladder announced itself very distinctly.

____

Ruff shifted her weight away from him and curled up into the blanket.  
She, Fishlegs, and Snotlout were lying spread over the wooden porch and looked like big and furry caterpillars.  
Just as Tuff had disappeared around the corner Gothi stepped out of the hut.  
She stretched herself and poked Ruffnut with her cane.  
Drowsily Ruff opened her eyes, but when she saw Gothi standing in front of her she was wide-awake.

____

Gothi scribbled into the sand next to the porch and Ruff woke Fishlegs to translate what the old healer had written.  
Fishlegs read and exchanged concerned looks with Gothi.  
"She says that Astrid suffers from obstructed labor. She might die."

____

Even Gothi looked exhausted and wrecked.  
When the old healer had gone inside again Snotlout mumbled: "She has delivered most of us. We all are here because she was by the side of our mothers. Gothi always has watched over our moms and taken care of them. She'll take care of Astrid too."

____

"Snotlout, don't forget how many babies and mothers she lost, just because at some point even Gothi couldn't help anymore.  
What do you think why there's only us six of our age on Berk and New Berk?  
That has not only been because of lean years or dragon raids. That's due to births being dangerous. Pregnancies can be dangerous.  
I know you try to cheer us up, Snotlout, but maybe we should be more realistic," Fishlegs lowly spoke.

____

At that moment Tuff returned, still busy lacing himself up.  
As he saw his comrades' sad faces his heart skipped a beat.  
"No! She hasn't died just the moment I was- "  
"No, Tuff. But she's weak. Very weak."  
All their nerves were strained and Tuff changed between ridiculous cheering and hysteric crying over the whole day.

____

Gobber and Eret had taken over the chief's duties and cared for the Haddocks' hut being left alone by the villagers.  
During the day Snotlout, Fishlegs, and Ruffnut took turns eating something and refreshing themselves.  
Only Tuffnut refused to leave the Haddocks' porch.

____

Gobber appeared and brought him something to eat and drink.  
He thought to have a clue what was going on, especially when he remembered how close Tuff and Hiccup had been before Astrid had gotten pregnant for the first time.  
He couldn't exactly make sense of it, but he was worried about Tuffnut.  
That kid (of course Gobber knew that the former riders were no kids anymore, but to him, they would stay kids) hadn't left the chief's porch to use some moments on his own.  
He had drunk a lot of water, juice, and tea since he couldn't eat, had thrown up, had paced around the hut, and occasionally dozed off leaning at the wall.

____

For the last twelve hours, it had been silent in the Haddocks' hut.  
Astrid didn't scream anymore. Hiccup hadn't shown outside the hut.  
It was eerie.

____

Twenty hours after Tuffnut had brought Astrid home Hiccup trudged out of the door.  
His face was pale and his eyes red-rimmed with dark shadows beneath.  
"Hey gang," he whispered, then he covered his face within his hands and sobbed.  
Immediately Fishlegs was next to him, offering support.  
"It's alright, thank you, Fishlegs. It's done. We're blessed with a little wonder who doesn't accept to give up. A warrior, just like his mom."

____

"His mom?" Tuff gasped.  
"Means the little one is a boy, bro," Ruff, standing next to Tuff, whispered.  
The short exchange between the twins made Hiccup look in their direction.  
He saw Ruffnut, who seemed to care more for her brother, who looked like he was about to swoon.

____

"Astrid is weak, she has lost a lot of blood! And the baby is weak too. We don't know if they will make it through the night," Hiccup said directed at Gobber, Fishlegs, and Snotlout.  
Then his eyes were fixated at Tuffnut again.  
Hiccup slowly walked down the stairs, fists clenched at his side.  
Tuff brought himself in position to stand and fight if necessary.

____

When Hiccup stood only inches away from Tuffnut he leaned down and hissed: "You! Get out of here! I swear I'll kill you if you dare to get closer than one mile to our house!"  
But Tuffnut shook his head, tears burning in his eyes.  
"Never," he said quietly, his voice was calm but determined.

____

"I hate to repeat myself, but I shouldn't be surprised that you don't understand what I say the first time. It had always been like that. I say something, you ignore me or do something completely different. Today, as in the past you endangered your fellow people. And last you endangered Astrid, you harmed her so much that she might die. She's about to die! And that is your fault! So get the fuck out of here!" Hiccup said, his voice rose with every word, at last, he yelled and shoved Tuffnut.

____

Tuff stumbled but didn't fall.  
He made some steps towards Hiccup and hissed so that only Hiccup could hear him: "I won't go anywhere unless I have seen my son!"  
"You want to call that bundle inside there your son? How do you want to take care of him? You can't even take care of yourself! Where were you today if your sister hadn't bailed you out so many times? Stay away from us! Get out of here or I'll end you!" Hiccup spat in wrath but managed to stay so quiet that the others wouldn't hear him.

____

Tuffnuts wounded pride, the fear within the last twenty hours, and adrenaline pumping through his veins made him daring and reckless.  
"Fuck you, Hiccup! Try to make me, come on!"

____

At that moment Hiccup's mind went blank and he could only feel rage, red-glowing, burning rage!  
He struck out, but before his fist could crash down on Tuffnut he was yanked back by Snotlout and Fishlegs.  
"Let me go!" Hiccup bellowed and tried to free himself from his friends' grip.  
"Let me go, I need to kill him! It's his fault if Astrid dies! It's his fault!"

____

"No!" Tuff blurted out and raced forward to end what Hiccup had begun, but he was held back by Gobber.  
Tuffnut was wiry, and kicked around, struggling free from Gobber, who wouldn't want to hurt him with his hook.  
Eret, who accidentally was near, rushed over to help Fishlegs with Hiccup, sending Snotlout to help Gobber.

____

While Fishlegs and Eret tried to get Hiccup back into the hut, Gobber and Snotlout fought with the hurricane of fists and kicks, in which Tuff had turned.  
"We have to separate them! Let's try to get him home!" Gobber yelled to drown out the curses and threats Hiccup and Tuffnut shouted at each other.  
When they finally had managed to get a grip of Tuffnut's whirling limbs and carried him away he shouted one last desperate "Hiccup!"  
Hiccup answered with raging screams full of pain: "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you so fucking much, Tuffnut Thorston!"

____

Then Hiccup went limp and fell to the ground, curling up, crying like he never had cried before in his life.  
There was a sudden silence over the place, only interrupted by Hiccup's sobs.  
No one dared to move a muscle until Eret knelt next to Hiccup and helped him up. "Come on chief, you need to rest!"  
He didn't ask anything and Hiccup was grateful for that.

____

He felt totally numb when he dropped onto an armchair at the table.  
His eyes went into the distance.  
Eret gave him a mug of mead. "Drink," he said, "and I don't wanna hear any contradiction!"  
Hiccup sipped on his mead, as he heard a weak voice cry – the baby whined. That was supposed to be a good sign, wasn't it?  
It hadn't made any noise so far.

____

"Your son is crying, chief," Eret said softly and squeezed Hiccup's hand.  
Hiccup took his hand away and sighed painfully before he answered: "I can't look at him, Eret. He nearly killed Astrid. He..."  
Hiccup didn't complete the sentence which haunted his mind.  
_He_ isn't even my son. _His_ son has nearly killed Astrid. _He and his son_ have nearly destroyed my life.

____

"That's rubbish, Hiccup. He's a baby and he isn't responsible for this situation.  
He needs warmth and milk. Go bond with your heir, Hiccup.  
I'm sure that Astrid will recover faster when she realizes that you're by her side. Don't let them down," Eret said with an intense look into Hiccup's eyes.

____

Gothi entered the room and she carried the tiny bundle that cried out softly.  
Hiccup forced himself to look at the baby.  
It was a skinny, pinkish boy with a frown line above his stubby nose, which was crunched angrily.  
His body was covered with remains of white lanugo hair.  
"You look like a shrimp," Hiccup mumbled and slowly a smile crept over his face.

____

"That's probably the weirdest thing you could say to a newborn," Eret mused and scratched his head.  
Then he looked at the baby, at Hiccup, and took a view out of the window.  
Outside still were Fishlegs and Ruffnut. They stood on the porch, holding hands, saying nothing.  
"But I think that's been one of the weirdest days I've experienced with you at all – and that's saying something."

____

Hiccup got up and took the baby from Gothi, who patiently waited for Hiccup to find back to his usual form.  
When he had cradled the boy she returned to Astrid, who was lying in the room next door, recovering from the pain and endeavors, the blood loss and dehydration, almost unconscious.  
Gothi washed Astrid and prepared her to breastfeed the baby, although she wasn't awake at all.

____

"Eret, would you go get Fishlegs and Ruffnut? I have to talk to them. Alone."  
Hiccup couldn't take his eyes off the baby. Carefully he wiped some blood from the fuzzy strands of blond hair.  
Eret frowned but did as he was told.  
Only moments later Ruff and Fishlegs entered the hut hesitantly.

____

"Ruffnut, look at this child," Hiccup demanded.  
Ruff looked at her boyfriend, at Hiccup, and then carefully peeked into the bundle of folded fabric.  
The baby began to whine angrily and fidgeted as Ruff brought her face close to the little body.  
Then she snorted and tried to suppress a laugh.  
"If anyone should ever say "Oh Hiccup, your son is a spitting image of you" I would kill them instantly. So, if I was you!"

____

Hiccup laughed, but his laughter was full of despair: "I guess his father can't deny him."  
Pressing the baby softly to his chest, Hiccup's chuckles turned into sobs.  
"I don't want to lose Astrid. I don't want to lose the baby! Look at him! If I was a Hiccup, he is a Nothing! How is he supposed to survive?"  
Gothi, who had waited in the door frame, suddenly appeared and took the baby from Hiccup.  
She brought him to Astrid and let the boy seek for Astrid's exposed nipple.  
He could drink on his own!  
"Look how strong he is," Fishlegs cheered.  
Silently Ruffnut and Fishlegs watched through the door, how their nephew drank and made satisfied little noises.

____

Before the baby fell asleep he detached from Astrid's breast and burped.  
"Okay, he has his father's table manners," Ruff giggled and Hiccup smiled at that.  
It felt good to experience small moments of joy on this day of angst and fear.  
"Go and tell your moronic brother that we have to talk. Tomorrow. If he shows up today I'll kick his scrawny butt to Valhalla," Hiccup said and his look was serious and pleading.  
"Fair," Ruff replied and went to go, dragging Fishlegs with her.

____

Outside it began to get dark again.  
"I'm starving. Let's go have a bite and then I look after Tuffnut," Ruffnut said.  
After several steps, she stopped and smiled widely: "I'm an aunt now."

____

Gobber had left right after Tuffnut had calmed down – there was too much what he didn't want to know, but what had to be spoken about.Whatever it was, he didn't want to know, although his curiosity almost drove him crazy.

__  
_ _

Snotlout sat on Tuff's bench and held a wet cloth to his cheek – Tuff had flailed around and punched Snotlout into the face.  
At home, Tuff had taken his ax and hit the cornerstones of his hut. Then he had kicked his laundry chest and thrown his cutlery until he had dropped onto his bed and cried.

____

"Okay, Gobber, from this point on I can handle him alone. Thank you for staying with me," Snotlout sighed and looked at the heaving body on the bed.  
Gobber furrowed his brows and wanted to say something, but cut himself off before he could open his mouth.  
Shaking his head, Gobber left. "You know where you can find me, boyo. If he attacks you again, take a frying pan and knock him out."  
He pushed the door open with his hook, while he rubbed scratches and bite marks on his left arm.

____

Snotlout knew Tuffnut best, besides from Ruffnut.  
He had seen him in almost every imaginable situation, but never ever before Snotlout had witnessed Tuffnut like that.  
Actually, he couldn't make any sense of what had happened, and he decided that he even didn't want to know.

____

Carefully Snotlout strolled over to Tuff's bed and announced: "I'm gonna sit down right next to you, alright?"  
Snotlout made himself comfortable and started rambling incoherent stuff from their youth.  
Tuff didn't listen, but Snotlout's voice calmed him down and made his eyes fall shut.  
It felt nice to know that there was someone next to him, someone to trust and to lean on, literally.  
So Tuffnut turned around and laid his arm over Snotlout's lap.  
"I'm very sorry that I have punched you," he mumbled before he fell asleep.

____

"It's okay I guess. It's been a hard day and a rough night," Snotlout replied.  
When Tuff's breathing had become steady, Snotlout dared to bring his hand up to stroke Tuff's cheek.  
His heartbeat accelerated and Snotlout gulped.  
Damn, he wasn't supposed to have these feelings.  
Tuff sighed and sobbed in his sleep and Snotlout continued to stroke him – his face, his bruised arms, his waist – until he fell asleep too.

____

Hiccup slept nuzzled to Astrid - as far as the baby would let him.  
He changed the nappies and cuddled the tiny boy at his bare chest.  
Skin to skin contact calmed him down until it was feeding time again.  
Then Hiccup attached him to Astrid's breast and he suckled happily.  
Frowning, Hiccup shook his head and muttered under his breath: "I bet your dad did that too. You look a lot like him, do you know that? I have no idea which name we should give you. You look like a very tiny and very angry version of your father."

____

Every time the little boy drank from Astrid's breast she discharged blood.  
Gothi explained that this was good because it meant that the uterus was contracting and shrinking to its former size. The bleeding would stop faster.  
Hiccup massaged Astrid's belly to support the shrinking progress.  
Although Astrid wasn't conscious at all, she moaned when Hiccup put pressure onto her belly.  
"Gothi, she's in pain. What can we do for her? She lost so much blood. And I'm afraid she gets a fever," Hiccup said, as he rocked the crying baby at his naked chest.

____

Gothi made a drink of wheat germs, lentils, red beet, spinach, and apple juice.  
Hiccup had to infuse small amounts of that drink into Astrid's mouth.  
Reflexive she swallowed and coughed.  
Sometimes she opened her eyes but didn't seem to see anything or anyone.  
Hiccup and Gothi changed the sheets several times so that Astrid would lay dry and clean.

____

Before the morning was dawning Hiccup finally fell asleep for at least three hours.  
He sat in his armchair, on his chest, and beneath his chin, the baby was nestled.

____

Tuffnut woke up and felt downright terrible.  
His body ached, there were bruises on his legs, arms, and on his torso.  
"Damn, I feel as if a flock of Gronckles had used me as a doormat," he complained and rubbed his eyes.  
Snotlout already was up and prepared breakfast.  
"Hey Lout, if that's supposed to be for me I'm afraid that I have to disappoint you," Tuff drowsily mumbled.  
He swung his legs out of the bed and got up.

____

"I thought so. Nonetheless, I wanted you to try to eat some of the fruit plates. You'll need energy."  
Tuff strolled over to Snotlout, who was busy at the kitchen counter, and casually laid his hand onto the shorter one's shoulder.  
Snotlout stiffened and pretended to not having noticed Tuff's morning wood.  
Why would his silly heartbeat have to rise just now?  
Were his cheeks flushed?

____

"Uh, your sister and Fishlegs have been here. They said you should come to the chief's hut. Alone.  
Sounds like a duel at high noon. I could accompany you if you want. Just deliver you there and make off again-"  
But Tuff cut him off and said: "No, thank you. I'll have to face the chief alone. Imagine epic music playing in the background."  
Tuff tried to joke, but he could hear barely anything other than his pulse rushing in his ears.

____

He sat down by the table and ate a few slices of peach and pear.  
Snotlout was bursting with curiosity but held back all his questions.  
Obviously, Tuffnut wasn't in the mood to talk.  
After having eaten half a peach and a pear Tuff rushed over to his water supply and washed himself.  
It took Snotlout some effort to ignore the sweet juice running down Tuff's chin and not to imagine licking it away... wait, what? Snotlout shook his head and pinched his nasal bone.

____

After a lick and a promise, Tuff put on his tunic and his boots.  
When he opened the door he shouted over his shoulder: "I go have a leak and then I have a date with destiny. Don't wait for me, honey."  
Snotlout's head sped around and he glared at the male twin.  
Tuffnut glared back and looked just as flustered as Snotlout.  
"I'm sorry," he then mumbled, his face blushed.  
The door got closed and Snotlout whispered to himself: "Actually I wouldn't mind being your honey."

____

On his way to the chief's hut, Tuff lived through several moods, such as audacity, fear, butterflies in his stomach, rage, love, and again fear.  
He stood in front of the door for quite a while.  
Then he screwed up his courage and knocked.  
No one answered, so he carefully pushed the door open.

____

"Hello? Someone at home?" he asked and was angry about his voice, which sounded brittle and angsty.  
Again no one answered and he paced through the first room to get into the sleeping room.  
Before he could enter Gothi came out and patted his cheek.  
She made signs for him to take off his tunic.  
As Tuff did so, Gothi wrinkled her nose and snorted.  
"Sorry, there was no time to shower."

____

Gothi took Tuff's hand and led him into the darkened room.  
Hiccup still was asleep in his armchair.  
Astrid laid on the bed, her face pale, the forehead covered in sweat.  
"Oh Hoff," Tuff sobbed and sunk to his knees. He gently took her hand and talked to her, incoherent and continuous.  
He kept babbling until Gothi softly poked him with her cane.

____

Tuff got up and turned to her.  
There he was.  
Tuffnut's heart pounded ferociously against his ribs, his legs felt wobbly.  
Gothi laid the tiny boy into Tuff's arms.  
"Gods, I can't break him, can I? He's so small! Oh, Gothi, look at him!"  
Tears fell from his nose tip and hit the baby's bare chest.  
Enraged about the disruption the baby cried and kicked.

____

Tuffnut knew that he couldn't sing, but he did it anyway.  
The baby calmed down and Tuff pressed him softly to his chest.  
This tiny being was his son.  
He had been involved in the creation.  
Okay, that hadn't been planned, he had been drunk, and as far as he could remember it also hadn't taken too long to contribute to the result.

____

But all that didn't mean anything, the only importance was to keep that fragile life warm and safe and sound.  
Tuff cradled his son, carefully sniffed on his head, stroked the little face with his fingertips.  
Nuzzling his cheek to the tiny forehead he hummed and rocked, until the baby was asleep.

____

"Who would have assumed that you of all people were the born father?" Hiccup suddenly asked.  
Startled, Tuff turned around and breathed a hoarse "Hiccup!"  
The chief stood behind him, his arms crossed.

____

For a long moment, Tuffnut didn't know what to do.  
Then he asked: "You want me to go? Ruffnut said I shall come here."  
Hiccup nodded and remained silent.  
Awkwardly Tuff tried to pass Hiccup the baby, but he tenderly pushed the baby back to Tuff's chest.  
"He's never been that calm until you showed up," Hiccup said, his hands still resting on Tuffnut's arms.

____

Tuff stared at Hiccup's hands, the hands that had touched him once so affectionately.  
He felt the warmth and shuddered as most of his tension left his mind.  
"So tiny. Not even a Hiccup. He's nothing."  
"No," Tuff quietly contradicted, "He's enough!"

____

Hiccup smiled at the baby and Tuff stared at Hiccup.  
Finally, Hiccup sighed and said: "This child, heir to my throne, shall have you as Godfather, wise advisor, and contact person in all matters.  
You shall care for my son, the heir of New Berk, brother to Zephyr Haddock, and be at his side whenever he needs you. Therefore I forbid you to sail away again, to not neglect the child's wellbeing."

____

Tuff tried to suppress his sobs, but he couldn't keep his tears from falling.  
"I swear that I'd do anything for this child of mine, hereby called my godchild. I swear that I'll be there, I won't ever go away, no matter how very much I'm hurt about the outcome of our liaison, no matter how much I miss and love you and would like to hide somewhere out in the world.  
I swear to take responsibility and give this child my love, my pure and utter love, just like I had once given it to his father."

____

The two young men were quiet for a while.  
"I don't hate you," Hiccup whispered.  
"I never stopped loving you," Tuff replied.  
"Tuffnut, _don't_!"  
His head hanging low, hiding behind his hair, Tuff mumbled: "I'm sorry."  
"We need to care for Astrid. She lost blood, and she is very weak and feverish.  
Gothi told me that a piece of the placenta still might be stuck in her uterus.  
It will hurt her, but we have to massage her belly. And she has to wake up so that we can feed her Gothi's drink.  
It's supposed to contain a lot of hematopoietic ingredients," Hiccup explained.

____

Tuff stared at Hiccup, his expression blank. "Haymamo-what?!"  
"Blood-forming ingredients. Astrid has to get back to her former form some day, but now we first must care for her so that she'll become strong enough to survive. Maybe it helps when she knows that you're there.  
Oh, and you could think about a name for your son. I look at him and see nothing."

____

So Hiccup and Tuffnut started to work together, massaged, bedded, washed, and fed Astrid.  
They talked to her, let the still nameless baby drink at her breast, kissed her, and did everything they could to avoid thinking about what was on both their minds: They were very likely about to lose Astrid.

____


	7. In Aeternum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tuffnut stays with the Haddock-Hofferson family for the first week after Nuffink's birth.  
> When Astrid is out of danger of dying Hiccup and Tuffnut finally can start to get their dispute out of the way.  
> Their reunion is their farewell at the same time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess there will follow yet another chapter.  
> But then it'll be done, promised!

Astrid felt hot and her body hurt.  
Especially painful was the throbbing sensation within her uterus.  
She wanted to scream, but she was too weak and finally, she slipped away into darkness.

But there was that noise, that tiny whiny voice and she knew that she needed to wake up for her baby, although all she wanted to do was sleep.  
She felt a sucking on her breast and most likely Gothi or Hiccup had attached the baby to her breast so that it could drink.  
It took a lot of effort to open her eyes and to look at the baby and before she could see it her head sank back into the pillow.

Sleep. Warm and heavy it felt on her consciousness. So peaceful. The pain was almost gone, only a little more and it would be a warm void, blissful blackness.  
"Oh fuck, she's dying! Hiccup, she's dying!"  
That was definitely not Gothi's voice.

"Get out of the way, Tuffnut!" Hiccup!  
Slaps in her face, the blackness slid away and redness, burning redness surrounded her. Pain! The pain was back.  
Quick, hold on to the darkness, Astrid thought and a part of her forced her mind to lower its activity.  
Someone slapped her again and the redness became raging, just like she was raging – who dared to punch her face?

A scream formed in her throat and was ejected right after she had drawn in a deep breath.  
The pain in her uterus was hardly bearable and she felt the urge to push.  
Astrid grunted and pushed and squirmed in her bed.  
Hands were trying to hold her down, but she straightened up and yelled.  
Then, with a gush of blood, the remains of the placenta left her body.

She heard Tuffnut's voice: "I know that a woman's body is a miracle and that birth is supposed to be something beautiful and that there's nothing disgusting about it, but that was nasty!"  
"She can heal now! Oh, thanks to the gods! This rotten piece of placenta poisoned her from inside, that's why she was having the fever.  
I know she'll be fine in several days," her husband cheered.

Tuffnut and Hiccup were both with her. And obviously, they hadn't tried to kill each other yet.  
The pain decreased but still was there.  
Astrid sighed and croaked with a hoarse voice: "Water!"

She felt being supported by one of the men and how someone placed the mug at her lips.  
Astrid drank greedily and slumped back.  
"So tired," she mumbled and drifted into sleep again.  
Time went by and Astrid couldn't tell whether it was day or night.  
She slept and started to recover slowly.  
During the following days, Astrid was on the verge of being asleep and awake.  
Now and then one of them woke her to feed her with a strange tasting pap or to give her water.  
Every few hours the baby latched at her breast and suckled quietly.  
All was peaceful. She wanted and needed to rest.  
But she didn't drift into blackness again. She began to dream.

~~~~~~

"Hey Hiccup," Tuff said and looked down to Astrid's belly, on which the baby was sleeping, tummy to tummy with his mom.  
"Hm," made Hiccup and looked at Tuff.  
"You're very lucky. I'm a tad bit jealous."  
"Lucky? Why? Because I may raise the bastard child of my ex-lover?"  
For a while, Tuff didn't reply, but when he had sorted the words he said: "You have a family. You have a wife on your own, a woman who loves you and who would do anything for you."  
"Yeah, such as cheating on me. With my ex-lover. And getting pregnant with my ex-lover's baby. That's what my wife did. So if that's this _anything_ you were talking about."

Tuffnut sighed resignedly.  
Astrid felt Tuff's soft fingertips caress her forearms.  
Hiccup brushed her bangs out of her face and stroked her forehead.  
Both their presence anchored her in this world. The lightweight on her belly must have been the baby. A boy, apparently.  
So she was surrounded by the three most important men in her life.  
Hiccup was lying on her right side, Tuffnut on her left side.

"She's been desperate when she visited me. She wanted to save your relationship, your marriage.  
Astrid's been as unhappy as you had been years before.  
And then... I don't know, but I guess we've been lonely. It wasn't planned. But it felt good."  
Hiccup huffed and asked: "You had fallen in love with me then. What about Astrid? Do you love her? Have you ever?"

"Of course I do love her. But I'm not in love with her. Do you get what I mean?"  
"Yeah, pretty good. I need you to know, that I'm sorry about what I said in the aisle last year. It has been driving me insane to guess, to know, that you and Astrid..., the two human beings I loved the most in the whole world...  
You excluded me. You were having sex, you were close to each other and shared intimacies. I didn't want Astrid to have you, I wanted to have you myself.  
And I didn't want you to have Astrid, because she is my wife. I know that sounds greedy and hypocritical, but my feelings were so... tumbled. I was so confused," Hiccup stammered and laboriously looked at his hands.  
"Why?" Tuff wanted to know.

With a huff, Hiccup rolled onto his back and covered his eyes with his arm.  
"Do I really have to explain that? Come on, you're not that dense."  
"No, I'm not. But I want you to say it," Tuff replied and copied Hiccup's movements.  
"You won't even have to look at me while saying it."  
"You know that I can't say it," Hiccup whispered.

Tuff brought his right arm up and reached over Astrid.  
Hiccup noticed that and rose his left arm.  
Over Astrid's chest, they intertwined their pinkies.  
It was a sweet gesture, close but harmless.  
"I thought that you would stay away if I only behaved hideously enough. I had hoped for you to have enough common sense to finally leaving us alone.  
It was so hard to have you right in front of me. I wanted you to be as far away as possible so that it wouldn't be so hard to actually want the opposite.  
Does that make any sense to you?"

"No, not at all. You either want me close to you or as far away as possible. Or both at the same time. That doesn't sound very reasonable to me."  
"I thought if I told you about my real feelings you wouldn't stop to court me.  
I couldn't do it anymore. The council of elders is watching me and awaiting me to fail.  
They want me to make mistakes so that they can get rid of me.  
An affair with the male Thorston twin is such a mistake.  
For the sake of all villagers, I mustn't lose my position as chief, believe me.  
I have a responsibility towards the village and it is my legacy to reign this island.  
No matter what I want I have to put myself second."

"So, you're actually telling me that you still liked me but tried to shoo me away because of your political prestige?" Tuff asked and propped up on his forearm.  
This time Hiccup copied Tuff's gesture and answered: "Exactly. But I wouldn't call it prestige but a responsibility. A chief cares for his own. And the whole people, Tuffnut, is more important than us two."

Tuff sat up and pulled the knees up to his chest.  
"I've been right. You still loved me then."  
Hiccup reached over Astrid, grabbed Tuff's chin, and forced him gently to look at him.  
"No, Tuffnut. I still love you. But no matter how much I'm yearning for you, no matter how often I dream of you, how badly I want to push you to your bed and fuck you, no matter how much I love you now and in the future, I'd always decide as I did.  
I'm gonna hurt you. I'm gonna hurt myself. Better stay away. From me, but from Astrid as well. At least as long as we all have these confusing feelings."

Tuff lowered his gaze, unable to stand Hiccup's intense look.  
"But I love you. I don't know how to make it without you."  
"Of course you know. You got along pretty well all your life and us being a thing has only been such a short time.  
You're always welcome to visit us and spend time with Nuffink.  
Having him around is like you were an actual member of the family.  
I love that little potato so much, he looks exactly like you."

"So that's his name now?" Tuff asked and stroked the baby's back.  
"He's just 'nough and surely no nothing," Hiccup replied.  
Tuffnut's chest hurt and he got up from Astrid's sickbed. "That's been it then?"  
He turned to Astrid, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. Then he nuzzled his face to the baby's back and kissed him too.  
After a long look at Astrid and their baby Tuff finally turned to go.

"Wait!" Hiccup blurted out, suddenly standing in front of him, barring Tuff's way.  
He yanked at Tuff's collar and pulled him close.  
"Thank you for sticking to me. Thank you for your support. I couldn't have gone through all that without you." Hiccup tenderly wagged his head towards Astrid and Nuffink.  
Nodding, Tuff tried to withdraw from Hiccup's grip on his clothes. But Hiccup sped forward and kissed Tuffnut.

Tuff stood there, his arms hanging powerless at his sides.  
He couldn't even react as he felt Hiccup cupping his face.  
Hiccup's lips were soft and felt familiar to Tuff's mouth.  
Then the chief backed away and gazed at Tuff's face.  
The blond man had his eyes shut, his shoulders were trembling.

"I- I should go, shouldn't I? You let me know if there's something new?"  
Hiccup didn't answer Tuff's question, mostly because it seemed to be a rhetorical one.  
Instead, he grabbed him by the back of his head and pulled him into a more passionate kiss.

Tuff's body was limp, he couldn't allow himself to do what he wanted to do.  
He also couldn't do what he needed to do. He couldn't return the kiss, but he also couldn't pull away.  
His hands were so very close to clasping to Hiccup's hips, so to keep them with him he pushed them deep into his pockets.  
Hiccup let his tongue tip nudge Tuff's lips.

Oh, but that wasn't fair. Hiccup had made clear that exactly what they were doing couldn't be, at all costs.  
Tuff's left hand slid into the middle between his legs to squeeze his cock and prevent him from growing, but with a frown and an annoyed growl he found out that it was already too late.  
His length hardened and pushed against his palm.

Hiccup noticed Tuff fumbling in his pocket and of course, Tuff's erection didn't escape his attention either.  
Placing a trail of kisses on Tuffnut's neck, Hiccup shoved him gently against the door.

Tuffnut's heart was racing, his mind tried to keep up with the speed with which hormones were rushing through his body.  
It didn't make any sense to try to hide his impressive hard-on any longer, especially since Hiccup had put his palm onto the pulsating bulge.  
"I wouldn't have assumed that you're still getting a boner that easily," Hiccup scoffed lovingly and bit Tuff's ear.

Under the application of all his willpower, Tuff managed to push Hiccup away from him – softly but determined.  
"I told you I love you and I still think you're hot. Your kisses drive me crazy and when you touch my dick... what did you expect?"

Hiccup looked at Tuffnut, focused on his face, fixated his eyes.  
"I thought you would punch my jaw so that it breaks."  
"Huh? Why would I do that?" Tuff asked and furrowed his brows.  
"Because I certainly deserve it," Hiccup mumbled and now looked himself like a drenched puppy, eyes glaring to the floor.

When Hiccup rose his eyes again and gazed at Tuffnut, and in his gaze was desire and regret, Tuff couldn't hold back anymore.  
He wrapped his arms around Hiccup's torso and slammed his lips onto Hiccup's lips, kissed him hard, almost painfully.  
His hands groped over Hiccup's back and got hold of Hiccup's buttocks at last.

Pressing their crotches against each other, Tuff noticed Hicup's pants getting a little too tight too.  
Satisfied with his effect on the chief, Tuff started to roll his hips to Hiccup's, grinding his throbbing length at Hiccup's own erection.

After a while, they heard steps on the porch.  
"Oh fuck, that's Gothi! She has offered to stay with Astrid so that we both could have a break. But she actually wouldn't show up before evening," Hiccup stammered, grabbed Tuffnut's hand, and pulled him towards the wooden staircase.  
"Hiccup, it _is _evening," Tuff answered suppressed.  
Giggling they climbed up and heard Gothi enter.__

____

"We need to get out of here," Hiccup whispered.  
Tuff looked down on his body and shook his head: "Even though it's getting dark, there's no way I can leave like _that_!"  
Hiccup followed Tuff's look and grinned with malicious joy.  
"Just make it go away", he teased.

____

"How? You think I would fap my dick while Gothi is downstairs and cares for Astrid and Nuff?"  
Hiccup sighed and crawled back down.  
"Gothi, thank you for coming. Tuff and I were rearranging the kids' room.  
Is it okay if we go out for a while?"

____

Hiccup and Gothi talked for some more minutes, Gothi drew into the sand in the backyard and Hiccup answered or asked to that.  
Tuff breathed in and out, focused on the old healer, and could join them several moments later.

____

But although his body had calmed down, his mind was still stirred up and he felt a distinct tension in his testicles.  
Especially casual he leaned at the door and followed the talk with only half of the attention he currently had to pay to his dick to keep it down.

____

Finally, Hiccup turned to go and Tuff opened the door, slipped out of the hut, and impatiently walked home.  
Hiccup hurried to keep up with Tuff and he hissed suppressed: "Wait, Tuff! Don't run so fast! I don't want to run after you! Would you please wait?"  
But Tuff turned around, pointed to his crotch, and answered: "I can wait, but _he_ can not. Let's get to my hut, I know how I want to spend my free time with you!"

____

When Hiccup and Tuffnut finally arrived at Tuff's hut they struggled to control themselves to not start to kiss and pet already before they stumbled through the door.  
Much to their advantage, because when the door cracked open and Tuff entered he was greeted by Snotlout.  
Flabbergasted, Tuff stood in his hut, staring at the shorter man.

____

"Lout? What are you doing here?" Hiccup asked as he entered behind Tuff.  
"I came over every night to check on Tuff – but I haven't been lucky so far. Just came here, checked the bread for mold, and wanted to leave right now," Snotlout answered and curiously looked from Tuff to Hiccup.  
"That's sorta nice," Tuff mumbled and grinned sheepishly.  
"Yeah, can't always be an asshole, can I?"  
"I think you haven't been an asshole for at least seven years, bro!"

____

Hiccup, who impatiently watched them exchange niceties interfered: "Actually Tuffnut and I were about to have a serious talk."  
Snotlout paused in his movement and let his eyes wander down and up again on Hiccup.  
"Yeah, I got it," and turned to Tuff he said, "I'd be glad to have a talk with you, too. Maybe tomorrow. There has happened a lot."  
Tuff nodded to that and let Snotlout walk on by.

____

When he had closed the door, Hiccup went to lock the door.  
"Just in case he comes back to check on your milk supply," Hiccup chuckled and began to strip off his clothes.  
Tuff smiled and did the same.  
Only a few moments later they stood across from each other, studying each detail on the body of the other.

____

"You gained muscles," Hiccup stated and gave Tuff looks full of admiration.  
"You better do on a ship!" Tuff snorted and shyly held on to his left arm with his right hand.  
Somehow he had the feeling to having to keep himself from fidgeting.  
"I like what I see," Hiccup announced and closed the distance between them.  
"Obviously! So, uh, you haven't changed much during the years. Still the runt you've been," Tuff mentioned teasingly and reached out his hand to stroke Hiccup's collar bone.

____

Tuffnut touching him made Hiccup willingly give up self-control.  
He grabbed Tuff by the hips and pulled him close so that their dicks were rubbing at each other.  
A throaty moan slipped out of Tuff's mouth. His genital reacted with increased blood storage and grew slowly but steady to be a rock hard erection again.  
Hiccup, who had already been semi-hard, now hardened completely and started moving his hips on Tuff.

____

Only moments later they found themselves lying on Tuff's bed, wrapped up in an embrace, tongues intertwined, hands groping over very sensual parts of the skin.  
Hiccup managed to break away from their breathless kiss and to ask: "Is there still oil in your nightstand?"  
For a moment both young men stared at each other, overwhelmed by their feelings and the thought of what was about to happen.  
Both their lips were swollen and Tuff's chin was reddened from Hiccup's stubbles.

____

Hiccup got up to fetch the jar of oil from the nightstand.  
Then he slid down on Tuff, kissing his body from between his breast over his belly until he arrived at the tip of Tuff's cock.  
He closed his lips around Tuff's bellend and sucked gingerly – of course, he knew that Tuff preferred being treated roughly, but this time was supposed to be their last time and Hiccup didn't even think about having kinky sex.  
Luckily Tuff didn't seem to think about it either – he moaned joyfully and arched his back in pleasure.

____

While Hiccup sucked on Tuff's dick he dipped his fingers into the oil and carefully poked Tuff's rim with his index.  
It took a moment until Tuffnut had relaxed his muscles enough so that Hiccup could insert his finger.  
After about a minute Hiccup found that bundle of nerves, which was when properly touched, responsible for a rush of lust.

____

Tuff couldn't help bucking into Hiccup's mouth, but the chief backed away, gagging. "You might have forgotten that your dick is the size of an average-sized Terrible Terror," he huffed.  
"Astrid never complained," Tuff mumbled hardly audible to himself, before he panted surprisedly, as Hiccup had inserted a second finger.  
"As much as I love your wonderful cock, please don't shove it up to my throat," Hiccup lowly said and Tuff shivered because of the vibration at the tip of his penis.

____

At some point – it might have been the point when Tuff's breaths became choppy and his moans turned to grunts – Hiccup decided that Tuff was stretched (and also horny) enough.  
He let go of Tuff's cock and oiled his own.  
Tuffnut watched him and licked his brittle lips, mouth dry.  
As Hiccup had lined himself up he gazed at Tuff's face, furrowing one brow, asking for consent without words.  
Tuff propped up on his arms and nodded and Hiccup started to push his length carefully into Tuff's passage.

____

Neither of them was able to suppress the moans, as Hiccup was sheathed by Tuff's channel.  
Slowly, Hiccup began to rock his hips, move his hard cock in and out of Tuff.  
He brushed Tuff's prostate and although it admittedly hurt both a bit, they enjoyed being connected to each other like that.

____

It didn't take long until Tuff brought his hand to his cock and clasped him tightly.  
"Hiccup, would you mind me cumming?"  
"What, already?"  
"You have already worked on that!"  
"Fine, but I'm not done with you yet!"  
"Oh fuck!" Tuff hissed, as Hiccup thrusts became more frantic.

____

He hadn't assumed to ever being fucked like that again, especially by Hiccup.  
"Oh gods, I love you! You can't imagine how much I've missed that. You feel so good," Hiccup stated and nuzzled his face to Tuff's neck, "and you smell so deliciously."  
Tuff let go of his dick and pulled Hiccup close, humming to his ear.  
That could probably the last time to get ever that close to Hiccup and he understood that he didn't want to rush it.  
"Same for you," he mumbled and felt happy and sad at the same time.

____

Hiccup kissed Tuffnut with fervor, eliciting a guttural growl from Tuff.  
For a moment Hiccup looked at Tuff and saw a pure soul, always honest with his feelings, utterly straightforward with his needs.  
By Thor, he really loved Tuff, he admired his genuineness – there was no playing around and beating around the bush.  
Being with Tuff felt... uncomplicated and right. Natural.

____

After both having held back their orgasms for seemingly, infinities Hiccup panted: "I want you to cum. Please!"  
Tuffnut clung to the sheets beneath him and pulled up his knees so that Hiccup could go deeper and really wouldn't miss touching his prostate.  
Although there had been four years between their intercourses, Hiccup remembered pretty good in which angle he had to fuck the blond to make him cum.

____

So Hiccup leaned back as much as possible so that his cock curved upwards and poked the delicate bundle of nerves directly.  
After slightly changing their position Tuff began to squirm and whine.  
"Don't hold back, honey! Show me all your pleasure!"  
And Tuff let go of all his tension, let his orgasm wash over him, drowned in the sensation of clenching muscles, his twitching passage, his body shivering and with a deep and animalistic roar, he sank into the pillow, completely limp.

____

Hiccup just came as he watched Tuffnut's body climaxing and as he felt Tuff's muscles tense and relax several times within seconds.  
Watching his lover having his orgasm let him also notice that Tuff didn't squirt his load.  
Gods, a dry orgasm, focused on the essential... That was hot!  
And surely he would want to relieve the pressure within his balls later.

____

When Hiccup had slowed down and finally stopped thrusting into Tuff he dropped next to him, tossing an arm and leg over Tuff.  
Tuff grabbed Hiccup's arm and held him tight, his face turned to Hiccup's face.  
Both of them felt safe and loved.

____

After moments in silence, when there was nothing to be heard other than heavy breathing, Tuffnut spoke up: "That was amazing! I guess I never came dry before."  
Hiccup, still catching his breath, gasped: "Yeah, that looked like an... inward orgasm. Don't your balls feel tense now?!  
Tuff didn't reply immediately but listened to his body.  
"Yop, quite. But that's okay, it will go away!"  
"You could still unload...," Hiccup suggested and tried to look indifferent.

____

Tuff burst out into laughter. "We both can't even breathe and you think about round two?"  
"I want this night to become unforgettable," Hiccup shrugged.  
With a soft smile, Tuff leaned over and kissed Hiccup's lips.  
"Do you really think that I would forget _any_ of what we had?"  
"No, probably not."  
"Right!"

____

Tuff and Hiccup kept kissing for a while, pressing their bodies at each other, soaking their closeness for eternity.  
Later they sat at Tuff's table and sipped on a mug of mead.  
"What do you think was Snotlout really here for? I haven't any bread in the pantry."  
"Tuffnut, sometimes I'm shocked how slow your brain processes facts. Snotlout didn't come over to check on your food, but to wait for you."  
"Yeah, he said so."  
"He came to spend time with you."  
"Yeah, so?"  
Hiccup moaned and annoyedly grumbled: "He has a crush on you, stupid!"

____

Now Tuff gaped at Hiccup, with mouth and eyes wide open.  
"You're fucking kidding me!"  
"Am not! He likes you, much! Haven't you seen that he'd been jealous?"  
Tuff shook his head. The whole world had gone crazy.  
When he had been a teen no one ever had reacted to his attempts to flirt.  
He had found the flirting stuff a hard nut to crack, and now there seemed to be at least two people being in love with him.

____

"Are you sure? He's my bro, ever since!" Tuff said doubtingly.  
Tuff loved Snotlout, he was his closest friend. Shouldn't he have noticed Snotty being in love with him?  
And did it matter? Would it change anything?  
No. At least not _now_. Of course Tuff couldn't foresee if Snotlout would behave differently. He would have to evaluate how to react to his best friend when it was about time.

____

Suddenly he felt Hiccup's warm hand on his back.  
"Do you want to continue talking about Snotlout? Or should we bring up that we're acting like drive-controlled teenagers, who are completely ridden by their hormones?"  
"I don't want to talk about none of that. I know that it won't happen again. So let's just enjoy it."  
Hiccup nodded to Tuff's words.

____

Tuff got up from the bench and took Hiccup's hand.  
"Come on, chief. I'd like to penetrate you. I guess it will be the last time that you'll be filled with something as yummy as this here."  
Tuffnut pointed to his semi-hard dick, which twitched and built up for action.  
Hiccup laughed and let Tuff drag him to his bed again.

____

They sat down across from each other with crossed legs.  
Tuff laid his hands on Hiccup's cheeks and stroked his lips and cheekbones with his thumbs.  
Hiccup nuzzled his face into Tuff's palms and shut his eyes.  
The next time he opened his lids his eyes were full of tears.  
There was nothing Tuff wanted or could actually do or say to lift the spirits.  
He breathed in Hiccup's smell, felt his body warmth, tried to memorize the feeling of Hiccup's skin beneath his fingertips.

____

This was supposed to be their last time. This moment had to last for a lifetime.  
So they kissed, shared kisses, sweet and careful as if their lips had never touched eath other, exploring and trustful, kisses full of love and affection, slow and deep, with touching lips, with nudging tongues, only tongues intertwining, mouthes pressed onto each other, sharing lots of hot breaths and saliva, placing pecks on noses, eyelids, eyebrows, ears, cheeks and Adam's apples, necks and throats.

____

Again and again, brushing away tears from each other's faces, glancing at each other, they slid closer until there was no space left between them.  
With interwoven legs, pulsating genitals they clung to each other, hands all over their bodies, feeling, groping, touching, teasing.  
At some point they had laid down, desperately rocking their hips at each other, leaking precum, softly moaning.

____

It didn't need words to figure out what they wanted.  
Tuff propped up, reluctantly broke the body contact with Hiccup, and dipped his fingers into the jar with oil.  
Then he carefully entered Hiccup's hole with his index, sought for the fleshy spot of tissue, and found it quickly.

____

Hiccup moaned and bowed his back.  
After moments of stroking Hiccup's prostate, Tuff inserted a second finger and put his mouth over his cock.  
The head of Hiccup's cock was swollen and precum was beading at the slit.  
Tuff licked it away, licked over Hiccup's shaft, teased him by nibbling on his foreskin.  
Then he coated Hiccup's cock with his saliva and sucked Hiccup's throbbing length.  
Hiccup moaned and bucked into Tuff's mouth.  
Tuff didn't mind but expressed a rumbly cackle, which sent delicious vibrations into Hiccup's prick.

____

When Tuff thought that Hiccup was stretched enough he lubricated his penis with oil and already extant Cowper's fluid and lined up to Hiccup.  
Hiccup spread his legs and pulled his knees up to his chest so that Tuff could carefully push his length into him.  
Tuff remembered very well how Hiccup preferred to get laid.

____

Gently he inserted his entire length into Hiccup's passage.  
After an asking look into Hiccup's eyes, which Hiccup answered with a nod, Tuff started to move.  
No words were needed.  
Instead, they were trying to memorize that view, to save this moment in their minds.  
They gazed at each other, watched their reactions, kissed, rocked, and rolled their hips slowly at each other.  
Both moved nerve-racking slowly, neglected their need to speed up and cum.

____

Hiccup felt when Tuffnut was about to climax and forced himself to not move.  
Tuff's member hardened painfully and his glans felt swollen.  
His body cried for relief, but he kept his slow pace and focused on the tingly-burning sensation in his gonads.  
Although every part of him wanted to get rid of that enormous pressure and fuck Hiccup fast and furiously, Tuff only made small movements by pushing his throbbing cock against Hiccup's prostate.

____

Then the time had finally come to release his semen into Hiccup: he kept still, felt the muscles spasm and contract, hot fluids shooting through his urethra with a burning sensation.  
His testicles cramped, his penis twitched forcefully and he couldn't suppress the sobbing cry which emitted from his throat.

____

Wanting nothing more than pleasing Hiccup Tuff tried to continue to move, but his arms went numb, his member became flaccid and he realized all power leave his body.  
Collapsing to Hiccup's chest he mumbled: "I'm so sorry-", but Hiccup shut Tuff's mouth with a kiss.  
Then Hiccup struggled free from beneath Tuffnut and let the blond man lie on his belly.  
He placed himself between Tuff's legs, leaned down to him, and kissed his neck, his back, and his buttcheeks.

____

With oily fingers Hiccup stroked his cock, then he entered Tuff's hole.  
Leaning against Tuff's back Hiccup reached out and grabbed Tuff's hands.  
Carefully he started thrusting into Tuff, feeling his climax build up.  
It even didn't bother him that Tuff's seed dribbled out of his entrance.  
He just felt the tension in his balls which reached out for his lower abdomen, tickled his pubic bone, sent tingly waves of pleasure into his passage, making him shiver.

____

Tuffnut was still trembling and sobbing as Hiccup thrust into him, but he felt no pain, just the overwhelming overstimulation of his reproductive organs, and he usually liked that.  
Hiccup now took Tuff with measured jolts.  
The toes of his right foot curled and he squeezed Tuff's hands as he felt the tingly tension take over his testes.  
With a grunt, Hiccup squirted into Tuff and collapsed on his back at last.

____

Minutes later they rolled on their sides, facing each other.  
Still, no word was spoken and they didn't have the need to change that.  
Lying next to each other, so close that they could see the pulse of the other thrumming within their veins, they studied their faces with their eyes, lips, and fingertips.  
Imprinted like that both fell slowly asleep.  
Hiccup's breath was deep and calm.  
But Tuff wasn't calm inside and startled awake as soon as he was about to fall asleep.

____

He got up, washed his body meagerly, and put on some clothes.  
Then he silently left the hut.  
He ran across the village, tears streaming down his cheeks, but with a smile on his face.

____

When he had reached his goal he bowed down and hissed breathlessly: "Make room, sis!" and shoved his sister further towards the edge of the bed, squeezing himself between Ruffnut and Fishlegs.  
"What the living Hel? Have you gone bonkers? What's wrong with you? And ew, what's that smell? You smell like cum!"

____

Ruff suddenly sat up on her side of the bed and glared down at Tuff.  
"Hiccup!"  
Tuff nodded and pulled Fishlegs' blanket up to his chin.  
"But it has been the very last time. We have, um, celebrated our farewell," Tuff tried to explain without looking way too guilty.  
"Don't tell me shit, bro! You smell like a brothel! All the trouble won't start all over again, will it?" Ruff asked and sighed very annoyedly.

____

"Promised!" Tuff said and crossed his arms behind his head.  
"No, that's _perfectly_ fine, Tuffnut! Come and decide to have a sleepover in the middle of the night!  
Ugh, could you please take down your arms? When did you last get a shower?" Fishlegs angrily mumbled, quite bugged because of being woken up by the twins' chat.

____

"For Thor's sake, Legs is right! You smell like a boar pit! If I were Hiccup I would have kicked you out until you return nice and clean. Maybe I would have pushed you into the rain barrel as well!"  
Now Tuff blushed and sniffed at his armpits. Then he shrugged.  
"I haven't left Astrid and Nuffink, except for using the privy. And she didn't complain."  
"Yeah, because she's been _unconscious_! And maybe that was because you and your toxic gas cloud have befuddled her," Ruff scoffed and cackled maliciously until Tuff punched her arm and tried to jostle her out of the bed.

____

"Why should you two muttonheads show consideration for me? As if I could expect anything else from you," Fishlegs groused, pulled his blanket away from Tuff, and left.  
"You drive me crazy, woman! You can consider yourself lucky that I love you so much," he added, pressed a sloppy kiss onto her forehead, dodged her head before she could headbutt him while wrestling with her brother.  
"I'll sleep in your hut, Ruffnut," Fishlegs announced but received no answer.  
"Yeah, good night then. See you tomorrow!"

____

Later the twins sat on the floor, leaned against the bed and Tuff cooled his bruised eye, which Ruff had given him.  
"I'm sorry, Tuff! I didn't mean to punch a black eye into your ugly butt-elf face. Seems like I am out of practice beating you up properly!"  
"Ugh, shut up, scarecrow," Tuff replied and tried to kick Ruff's knee, but she rose her fist in a threatening way and Tuff grossed his legs quickly.  
"So, what are you doing here? Why don't you spend the night next to Chief Slut Haddock the fucking first?"  
Tuff shrugged and thought about an answer.  
He didn't know why he had run away, he just had had the feeling that he couldn't stay with Hiccup.

____

"I dunno. Guess I wanted to avoid an awkward awakening, though.  
I would say "don't go, I love you", he would say "I love you too, but I have to go", blah blah. Been there, done that. Maybe I kept our dignity alive that way."  
Ruff snorted and shook her head.  
"Pffft, dignity! If I ever have to listen to your chieftain-crap again I swear to Loki himself, I'll behead you!"  
She then got up and patted Tuff's knee.  
"Come on, let's ransack Fishlegs' pantry she crowed happily and pulled Tuff to his feet.  
"He has figs in nut crust, almonds in honey, and a lot of cheese! I guess your poor soul needs some spoiling, doesn't it?"

____

Although Tuff felt like crying, he also was happy and relieved. He had needed that cut and now Hiccup and he could go their own ways.

____

"Ha, guess what nonsense Hiccup told me! He said Snotters is having a crush on me," Tuff announced and looked over Ruff's shoulder.  
"Yeah, probably that's not so unlikely. He waited for you to come home for the entire last week and when you did not yet, he came over, slumped onto the chair over there, and hung out with us. Only subject ever: When do you think will Tuff be back?"

____

"Oh. Do you think I should do something about that? Although I have absolutely no clue what to do. Should we talk?"  
Ruff shoved Tuff out of the pantry and hopped over to the bed with her prey.  
"No, just meet him. Talk to him, like you always did. Maybe he was just worried about you. But admittedly, your wild side seems to have had impressed him. When you totally lost your shit and flailed around and kicked Snotlout and bit Gobber... That must have been the point when he fell for you!"

____

Ruff and Tuff talked until Fishlegs' sweets were eaten and the next morning was dawning.  
Then they fell asleep, curled up to each other, holding hands.

____

When the twins fell asleep, Hiccup woke up.  
He turned around and found Tuffnut gone.  
After looking for him at the privy Hiccup realized, that Tuff had been leaving his own hut, most likely to avoid a mushy and cheesy goodbye.  
Hiccup felt grateful for the last night.  
But he was also sad, very sad deep down in his heart.

____

Determined he shook his head and walked home after getting dressed.  
He had to take care of his wife, his daughter, and his son.  
Astrid's and Tuffnut's son. And also somehow _his _son.  
This time he didn't look back.__

____


	8. Shiny happy people

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tuffnut has to stand his ground.  
> He splits up from the Haddock-Hoffersons and starts a new life of his own.  
> Happy end for everyone!

Of course, Hiccup's and Tuffnut's feelings for each other didn't disappear immediately.  
But they found ways to get along with each other.  
To prevent themselves from getting too close they teased and mocked each other like they had done it more than ten years ago before Hiccup had found out how to tame dragons.

It was about six weeks after Nuffink's birth in mid-July and it was hot – again.  
Tuff entered the Haddocks' hut after a short knock on the door.  
He went in and out as a matter of course and so he did just then, when Hiccup prepared for work, only half-dressed.

"Ugh, Haddock! No one wants to see your skinny body of a freckled runt!" he scoffed, but not unfriendly.  
Inside he felt different, he still would have liked to touch Hiccup's body, but it was the best way to suppress his feelings.  
"Ew, who let him in? I really should hang up a sign that says "no morons allowed". But he couldn't read it anyway, so I can spare the effort," Hiccup replied and earned a sloppy blow to the guts.

"Ouch! See Astrid, that's the language this caveman speaks," Hiccup squeaked and Tuff sat down on Astrid's bed, looking pretty smug.  
"First of all: good morning A, I hope this immature boyo version of a chief cares exceptionally for you and my- Nuffink!"  
Astrid rolled her eyes and sighed: "Good morning Tuff! Maybe you two could stop being assholes to each other, wouldn't that be fun? And yeah, Hiccup cares wonderfully for me and Nuffink. I'm actually strong enough to do a lot on my own again, but he wouldn't let me."  
"I didn't expect anything else," Tuff smiled and looked into Hiccup's direction.  
Hiccup just rose his head and met Tuff's eyes, returning his smile.

"I came over because I've been working on a surprise for you. Maybe you remember that one day when you puked into my plants-" Tuff said and Hiccup furrowed his brows, pausing midway putting on his tunic.  
"-I've been busy then and you asked if you should come around later. It's done now," Tuff completed his sentence and handed Astrid a package.  
In return, she handed him Nuffink, who yawned and whined lowly.  
Tuff got up and rocked his son, walking through the hut and stroking him softly.

Hiccup shot him a glance of love, but as Tuff looked at Hiccup, he stuck out his tongue.  
Snickering, Tuff continued walking and rocking, until the baby was asleep again.

In the meantime, Astrid loosened the outer layer of linen fabric and peeked into the package.  
"Oh, that's amazing! Hiccup, come and have a look! Wow, Tuff!"  
She took out a tiny wrap jacket with the finest embroidery on it.  
The embroidery showed each of the Haddock and Hofferson family crests.  
The hem of the jacket was embellished with Norse knots.  
A fitting tunic, only some sizes bigger, was folded beneath the jacket.  
"For his initiation, I thought," Tuff mumbled and looked down sheepishly.  
Hiccup took the jacket from Astrid and turned it in his hands, touching the fabric and the embroidery with his fingertips.

"Where's your family's crest?" Hiccup wanted to know.  
"Hiccup, why would the heir of New Berk's chief wear the Thorston family crest?" Tuff asked and rose a single brow.  
Hiccup shrugged and smiled at the tiny piece of clothing.  
"It's beautiful. Good that you have attended handicraft lessons, huh?"  
"Wait, you _knew_ that the twins had switched their roles?" Astrid yelled from her bed and furiously glanced at Hiccup.

Hiccup explained: "We've been to the forest, practicing an ambush and at some point I caught Ruff doing her business in the shrubs. I wouldn't have assumed that _Tuff_ would do it that way and so it has been quite obvious that Ruff instead of Tuff was training with us boys.  
She let me promise to keep that secret and I promised. Not only because I had her dagger at my throat."

Now Astrid laughed and the men relievedly looked at each other. Hearing Astrid laugh felt so good after the horror they had experienced.  
"So, what are you going to do now, Tuff?" Hiccup asked and slid into his right boot.  
Tuff shrugged and paced slowly through the kitchen.  
"What do you mean? Now, like _right now_ after being kicked out by Astrid? Or like in what are you planning to do with your life?"  
"I meant now like right after my wife hopefully wouldn't have offered you a place in our bed when I'm gone. I have to leave, Bucket and Mulch have asked for my opinion on something yesterday and I promised to talk to them. And I actually wanted to know if you would like to go with me, at least until we've arrived at their hut."

"No thanks, I'll stay for some more minutes and cradle my godchild," Tuff replied and looked lovingly at the sleeping boy.  
Hiccup beamed and went over to Astrid to kiss her goodbye.  
"Let this dork pamper you a bit. But make sure that he keeps his pants on."  
"Oh come on, Hiccup!" Tuff groaned and glared at the chief, who flipped him the bird while slipping through the door.

"And what _are_ you going to do with your life?" Astrid wanted to know when Hiccup was gone.  
"I don't know. I could be a tailor. But I would have to fight with Bjarne about this job. I could be a teacher for handicraft lessons, but I guess most kids wouldn't respect me. Snotlout said I could sell anything, I could talk into a fisher to buy fish from me. But I could also annoy everyone so that they would give me swimming lessons with shoes out of stone and iron."

"So?" Astrid asked and Tuff shrugged again.  
"I can do a bit of a lot but nothing really good." Tuff fell silent for a moment, then he grinned mischievously and stated: "I could be a professional babymaker for single women."  
"Well, to be honest-," Astrid muttered, but Tuff interfered: "No, please don't say I can't even do that properly?"  
He dropped on the bottom end of Astrid's bed.

Astrid blushed and mumbled: "You always came too quick for my taste."  
"Okay, now my hopes lay splattered on the ground. Thanks, Hoff!" Tuff laughed and kissed his son's forehead.  
Then he handed him over to Astrid and loosened the knot of his pendant.

"I saw Ruff and Fishlegs give you presents for Nuff. Also, Eret and Snotlout have brought something. So I thought I should gift him something, too. He's my son- I mean, my godchild at last."  
So he took his pendant and gave it to Astrid.  
"Would you please give it to Nuff, when he's old enough? I don't have any other ideas, what I could give him."

Astrid took the pendant and gave Tuff a weird look. "Won't you miss it? You've worn it your whole life."  
Tuff chuckled and shook his head. "That's all I own what really does mean something to me. It has only an ideal value, but I would be very proud if Nuff was wearing it someday."

Astrid stroked the pendant with her thumb.  
A dragon tooth, stolen from a Gronckle skull, which the twins had found when they were playing in the forests of Berk. Their mother had carefully drilled holes into the teeth and attached them to leather straps and from that day on the twins had worn their tooth-pendants every day.  
"Thank you, Tuff, I hope you know how much that means to me."

Tuff clapped his hands onto his thighs and got up.  
"Time to go, before I accidentally lose my pants and impregnate you again. Can I do something else for you, m'lady?" Tuff scoffed and kissed Astrid's and Nuffink's noses.  
Astrid chuckled and denied.  
When Tuff had almost arrived at the front door Astrid called him back.  
"Tuffnut? Do you regret what has been?"  
Tuff shook his hand and smiled softly. Then he replied: "Nothing of that all."

He stepped out of the hut and inhaled deeply.  
On the steps sat Snotlout and offered to bring him home.  
Without hesitation, Tuff nodded. He started to enjoy spending quality time with Snotlout.

Only a few days ago Tuff had opened to Snotlout and told him the whole story, beginning with walking around with Hiccup years ago.  
Snotlout had slowly paced through Tuffnut's kitchen and when Tuff was done reporting Snotlout had left without saying any word.  
That's been the point when Tuff thought to have made a mistake by trusting Snotlout.  
But his worries were unfounded, because the next day Snotlout had trudged into Tuff's hut, pulled the lanky man into a bone-breaking hug, and mumbled into Tuff's hair: "I'm just so upset that you haven't told me much earlier! I mean, who have you had to talk to at all?"

Relieved, that Snotlout didn't judge him Tuff wriggled his arms out of Snotlout's embrace and hugged the shorter man back.  
"I've talked to Ruffnut, as always. But I'm very glad that I can talk to you _now_."

"So, Nuffink's your son?" Snotlout asked and scratched his neck.  
Tuff only shrugged and nodded in return.  
"Wow, that's... wow! You're a father. And that explains a lot. Who knows about it?"  
Leaning against his table, Tuff crossed his arms and replied: "The gang. And Gothi. I don't know who has told her or if that old bat just knew. Gobber suspects a lot but knows nothing, just as Eret. And of course, it would be great if it stayed that way. I mean, no offense, but imagine your father getting to know about it."

Snotlout nodded and looked at Tuff, glared at him in suppressed anger.  
"That vile asshole won't learn anything from me! You can rely on me. I mean, look what we've been through. What we have achieved. And for what my father can claim to be responsible. I've stood by you and I always will," Snotlout stated.

Tuff lowered his gaze with blushing cheeks. He brushed some of his dreads behind his ears instead of hiding behind them. "I know that you've always been loyal."  
Snotlout slowly crossed the room and hesitantly took Tuff's hand.  
"If there's one thing you can be certain about, it's that I never would betray you in any way."  
Tuff looked down to Snotlout and intertwined his fingers with his.  
They shot each other a crooked smile.

It took Tuff many months to recover from his emotional up and down, and being involved several times per week to spend time with his godchild didn't help him either.  
On Hiccup's birthday in February Tuff sat by the fire in the Haddocks' livingroom together with Fishlegs and Ruffnut.

"You're looking tired, bro," Ruff suddenly said and patted Tuff's knee.  
Tuff looked up from his mug with ale and seemed to have to gather his thoughts. "Sorry, I haven't been all here. What was it?"  
"Exactly that. You seem absent-minded. Is everything alright with you?" Ruff asked and let her gaze wander over Tuff's face.  
"Yeah, just tired. It's exhausting to be here every second day and care for Nuffink. I mean, I love him so much and I want to spend my time with him. But it's hard to spend my time also with his... dad, pretending all is fine.  
I could need a break. But I don't want to let anyone down, you know?"  
Tuff propped his face in his hand and sighed.

Ruffnut and Fishlegs looked at each other with concern.  
"Hey, I think you should take a step back, Tuff. Hiccup loves Nuffink and will raise him as his own, there's no need that you are here all the time. It might be too much for Hiccup and Astrid as well, I mean look at them, they don't look much better than you."

"Sure, they have a 24/7 job with the kids, you wouldn't look any better," Tuff snapped at Ruff and buried his face within his hands.  
"And then there's your shadow called Snotlout. He's around you every free minute when you're not hanging out _here_. Seriously, man, I thought I saw him following you to the privy earlier."  
"He did. But he waited outside for me," Tuff smirked between his hands.  
"No, you don't have any privacy anymore, bro. Talk to all of them and stand your ground!" Ruff crowed and punched her left palm with her right fist for emphasis.

Tuff tapped onto the brim of his mug, emptied it, pulled his coat from beneath his butt, and while he put it on he said: "Ruff, Legs, I need to get out of here. Distract Snotlout for a while, okay? I don't want to see him again tonight. Say thanks and bye to Hiccup for me."  
Then he sneaked out.

Ruff and Fishlegs did their best to keep Snotlout busy and at the end of the party, he was so drunk that they carried him home and tucked him in properly.  
Satisfied, Ruff smirked down at Snotlout who snored loud and annoyingly.  
Addressing at Fishlegs she snickered: "He won't bother anyone anymore tonight. Let's go home."

The next day Tuff knocked at the Haddocks' door and waited until someone opened.  
"Tuff, why don't you come in as usual?" Astrid asked and noticed Tuff shifting his weight from one foot to the other.  
"What's wrong? Do you have to pee, or what are you fidgeting about?"  
Tuff shook his head. "We need to talk," he nervously replied.

Inside Tuff sat down on a chair, his hands pressed between his knees to keep himself from fidgeting because he knew it annoyed Astrid.  
Astrid had shoved one hand into her hip, on the other hip she balanced Nuffink.  
Hiccup, busy at his desk so far, came over to stand next to the fire.  
The flames lightened Tuff's face and made him look much younger than he was.

"Sorry that I left without saying bye last night. I had to get out of here.  
And I- I won't come around anymore. Not that often. I need a break, a break-up.  
Seeing you all, especially you, Hiccup, makes me very sad and tired and... I don't know. Empty and full at the same time.  
My head is empty, but my heart is way too full."

For a while no one said a word, only Nuffink made babbling baby sounds. Zephyr played upstairs.  
Then Astrid broke the silence: "I know what you mean. It's great to have you here and it's extra great that you care so much for Nuff, but it hurts to have you going again. Also Nuff, he's really upset then. We're bonding too much and can't be a whole at all. And because you can't stay you should maybe stay away. At least until we have calmed down our feelings."

Hiccup looked from Astrid to Tuffnut and back.  
"Yeah, I guess you guys are right. I got used to having you both around so that I forgot that _you_ -," he pointed at Tuff, "don't really belong here.  
I'm sorry that I didn't notice how bad you felt when you've spent your time with us. Just let me say that you're always welcome. Also to be with Nuff."

Tuff got up from his chair and tried to swallow the lump in his throat.  
"Thanks, guys," he croaked with a gravelly voice.  
After hugging Hiccup first (too tight, too long) and then Astrid (too sloppy, but she held Nuff so it was hard to hug her appropriately), he took Nuffink in his arms. The baby nuzzled to Tuff's chest, grabbing one strain of hair to play with it.  
Tuff kissed the tiny nose, inhaled the baby-ish smell of Nuff's head, and pressed him to his heart.  
"As long as that is beating, my dear sir, I'll be there for you," Tuff whispered into his son's ear and passed him to Astrid.  
When he had freed his hair from the spit covered, sticky baby hand, he smiled at the Haddocks', expressing a lot more sorrow than happiness, and left.

The next day Tuff was sick.  
When he got up to use the privy he felt dizzy and weak.  
His head ached tremendously and his face felt like burning from the inside.  
Tuff tried to hurry to get out and back to bed again, but he realized that moving too fast wasn't good either in his state.  
So he slowly shuffled out of his hut, was beaten in the face by the cold, and made it back into the hut with chattering teeth after being done with his business.

With furrowed brows, Tuff heated his stove and warmed water for a tea.  
He had no cough or sniffles, he just felt wrecked, weak, sore, and sick.  
After he had finished his tea he crawled under his blanket again, pulled also a fur over himself, and curled up to a trembling ball of shaking bones, sweating with fever.

Tuff only left his bed when he had to, and he decided that he didn't really have to, except for drinking, disposing of the drinks, and changing his sweat soaked sheets and his gown before he fell asleep again.  
In the evening the door to his hut opened and Snotlout poked his head inside.

"Hey, here you are! You were nowhere to be seen, so I thought I ought to have a look at you," the short man said.  
Tuff groaned and sat up, his cheeks flushed and his forehead sweaty.  
"Hey Lout, that's nice but I don't feel so well. Maybe you could just... leave me alone?" he stammered and held his head  
"Oh. Oh yeah, of course! Shall I tell Ruffnut, so that she can take care of you?" Snotlout answered and tried to not sound too hurt.  
Being sent away felt like a rejection, although he could understand that Tuff wanted to be alone.

Tuff shook his head but regretted it immediately, as a throbbing pain shot through his skull.  
"No, I – no," Tuff mumbled and laid back down.  
Concerned, Snotlout left and carefully shut the door.  
The view Tuff had offered could best be described as pathetic and Snotlout didn't trust the male twin's judgment enough to just leave him alone like this.  
So he went to visit Ruff.

About half an hour later Ruff knocked on Tuff's door and came in before he could answer.  
"Snotlout said you're sick. Is there something that I could do for you?" Ruff asked while she stomped the snow off her boots.  
"You could shut the fuckin' door, lass!" Tuff grumbled from beneath his blankets.

Ruff came over and sat down on Tuff's mattress.  
She laid her cold hand onto his hot forehead, but Tuff slapped her hand away.  
"Sorry, could you just leave me alone?"  
"Doesn't that feel good?" Ruff asked and frowned.  
"Yeah, it does, but I want to be alone. Could you please leave me alone?" Tuff impatiently moaned.

Ruff withdrew and got up. "Are you sure? I could stay here and cook soup or whatever you want."  
"Nah, thanks. I'm not hungry."  
"Something sweet?"  
"Ruffnut, _please_!"  
"Okay, okay!" Conciliatorily, Ruff rose her hands and got up from Tuff's bed.

When Ruff had arrived at the door Tuff sat up and said: "Don't be mad at me, I – I don't know. I just want to be alone, okay?"  
Ruff smiled at her brother and answered: "I'm not mad, I'm worried. Shall I come back tomorrow?"  
But Tuff shook his head. "No. I'll let you know if there's anything you could do for me."  
Ruff nodded and shut the door from outside.  
That was weird. Tuff hated being alone when he was sick. He hated being alone in general and usually looked for someone to take care of him.  
Ruff had to force herself to respect her brother's wish.

Back at her hut Ruff was greeted by Snotlout, who still hung out with Fishlegs, playing a game of talons and maces to distract himself.  
"What did he say?" Snotlout asked before Ruff had even kicked off her boots and taken off her coat.  
"That he wants to be alone."  
"And you would let him? He looked terrible."  
"Snotlout, he's a grown-up man, he'll know what's to do. He said he'd let me know if there was anything I could do for him. So, we'll keep our heads down. I'm worried, too. But perhaps we should have a little faith in Tuff?"

Snotlout gave up, nodded.  
"Do you want to stay for dinner?" Ruff asked and slightly shoved Snotlout, who obviously was more worried than the others.  
Maybe because he _felt_ different for Tuffnut than the others.  
"If it wouldn't bother you two?" Snotlout replied and sheepishly looked from Ruff to Fishlegs, who shrugged and tried to suppress a small grin behind his hand.

"Ugh, don't say a word!" Snotlout jumped up and strolled over to Ruff, who worked in the kitchen area. He tried to hide his heated face behind a pot, that he examined in detail.  
"Snotlout, are you afraid that we're judging you for your feelings?" Fishlegs wanted to know.  
"Feelings? I don't know what you mean. I'm a Jorgenson, I have no feelings. Only girls have feelings, right, Fishnose?"

Fishlegs and Ruff exchanged looks and rolled their eyes simultaneously, which made them giggle.  
Snotlout looked flustered and intimidated. "What? What's so funny? What are you laughing about?"  
Ruff took Snotlout by the shoulders and led him to the bench, where she made him sit down. "Snotlout, calm down! Why do you try so hard to suppress your very obvious feelings? You don't have to be so insecure. Tuff will know anyway. He has a sense of feelings. He's an emotions detector. And if there's one thing he can't stand, it's dishonesty. So if you want to be with him I would recommend you to be authentic."

"I, I... I, uh – Why do you assume I wanted to be with your brother?" Snotlout asked with his face flushed up to his ears. He earned unbelieving looks from both Ruff and Fishlegs.  
"Well, because you want to spend your entire time with him. You care for him. You want him to be healthy and happy," Fishlegs explained.  
"Duh, he's my bro, of course, I want him to be happy and healthy and stuff, who wouldn't want that?"

"Snotlout!" Ruff said with a warning tone in her voice.  
"Fine, okay! I admit it," Snotlout panted and huffed, inhaled, and tried to calm down, his heart beating much too fast and way too hard, "I like your brother. A lot."  
Ruff applauded and cheered: "That's good, Snotty! I'm proud of you. Go on. You don't only like him. Fishlegs likes him."  
"Do I?" Fishlegs muttered under his breath and got slapped at the back of his head by his girlfriend.

"I like him more than like-like him?" Snotlout asked and seemed to shrink.  
Ruff shook her head. "Be courageous, muttonhead. That's what you Jorgensons are so very proud of; your courage. Come on, be brave!"

Snotlout gulped audibly and squeezed his eyes shut. Then he inhaled deeply before he rattled off a salvo of words: "I, Snotlout Jorgenson, have a major crush on Tuffnut Thorston and I'm freaking out because I can't believe that I have said that and I hope my father won't ever get to know about it, although I shouldn't care about what my father thinks and says because he's an asshole and I don't like him either but I'm afraid of him."

Now Ruff hugged him tightly.  
"No one will get to know from us. Especially not your father. But Tuff had to hide for the last years and he had been in quite a drama, I can't imagine that he would be very keen on hiding again. I guess he much rather wants someone by his side to brag with, someone to hold hands with in public. He doesn't need a coward to meet him secretly at home, he's been through that.  
And I don't want to see him hurt again."

Snotlout remembered how Ruff had dragged him once all over the Edge to find out which animal had bitten her brother.  
The Lycanwing-incident.  
She was very protective and wouldn't be too nice if he, Snotlout, would treat Tuff in a way he didn't deserve.  
But Snotlout didn't want to treat Tuff in a way he didn't deserve, he wanted to treat him good, lovingly, caring.  
He loved the silly prankster twin.

Tuff slept all evening and all night, he also slept until noon of the next day.  
He had weird dreams which he couldn't recall when he woke up, just fragments floating like debris through his mind.  
His nightgown stuck to his body, wet and cold and he hurried to climb out of his bed.  
With shaking hands, he refreshed the embers in his stove and the fireplace, and slowly his hut warmed up again.

Tuff waited for the kettle with water to heat, so that he could wash the sweat off his body.  
Impatiently he waited at the fireplace, stepping from one foot to the other to keep himself warm and to distract from the need to relieve.  
A moist blanket wrapped around his shoulders was supposed to keep him at least a little bit warm, but actually without success.

If Ruff would have been here he most likely had sneaked outside with some blankets wrapped around him, leaving it to his sister to care for fresh sheets, clothes, tea, and whatnot.  
But Tuff had thought about what Hiccup had said to him on the day of Nuffink's birth: you can't even take care of yourself.

It was a hurtful thought, but Hiccup was right. Tuff _wanted_ to learn how to care for himself. He _could_! And he wasn't that sick that someone would have to hold his hand. For Thor's sake, he was old enough to do it all on his own!  
And he didn't want to be dependent on someone.  
Even if he hadn't become sick he would have claimed time on his own.

There was just so much to think about.  
What would he want to do with his life?  
Whom did he want to spend his time with?  
What was it what he felt for Snotlout?  
Did he like him, was it more, or was he looking for someone who could keep him from being alone with himself, realizing that the life he led was pathetic and senseless?

As soon as the water was warm enough, Tuff dropped his blanket and scooped hands full of water out of the kettle to wash his face, his neck, his torso, and of course also all below. He dried himself quickly, jumped into fresh clothes, and rushed to the privy.  
When he came back in, again freezing and covered in goosebumps, he wished he had taken the offer of Ruff to cook for him.  
He felt too weak to stand by the stove and prepare a soup because he was so hungry. So a cup of tea had to do it.

Tired he wanted to drop onto his bed, but the sheets still had to be changed.  
With a sigh, Tuff finished his task, before he slumped forward and fell asleep at once.  
He spent the next two days between being awake and asleep, hardly noticing what time of the day it was.  
He drank tea to calm the hunger, he slept to regain his strength, he walked through his hut to keep his muscles supple.

After three days his fever was gone and so was his headache.  
Tuff had used the time awake to think about his life.  
Although he wasn't sure which job he could have in the future he was quite sure about the way of life he preferred.  
Tuff was a social person and he wanted to have company.  
Not only company, but a partner.  
He wanted and needed physical contact and verbal interaction.  
The last days had shown that he could live on his own, even when he was sick, but he felt oddly incomplete without another human being around.  
But he didn't want any random person to be with him, just to escape the loneliness.

Lost in thoughts Tuff searched for food in his pantry, chewing on a carrot, as it knocked on his door.  
Unfortunately, he couldn't hear the knocks since he was chewing pretty loud and also clattered with different pots and jars.  
"Hey Tuff, may I come in?" a voice shouted over from the door.  
"Huh? Hey Lout, come in," Tuff replied and stopped rummaging in his pantry.  
He stood in his kitchen area and watched Snotlout taking off his fur coat and slipping off his boots.

For one moment he thought about if Snotlout could be that someone.  
But he wouldn't find out by standing around, munching noisy vegetables.  
With a casual movement, Tuff threw the carrot into the kettle and strode through the room.  
When he stood in front of Snotlout and caught his slightly confused gaze, he cupped the shorter man's face and pressed a kiss onto his lips.

Not the army of butterflies that used to tickle his stomach when he was together with Hiccup, but a distinctly stronger sensation than when he had kissed Astrid.  
Snotlout couldn't fathom what was happening to him and had frozen in mid-motion, eyes wide.  
Tuffnuts freckled nose was in front of his own, the long blond dreadlocks dangled on the sides of their faces.

Tuff ended the kiss by sucking on Snotlout's bottom lip and a smack, then he withdrew and wiped his mouth.  
Snotlout made incoherent noises.  
"Sorry, just had to find out something. Want tea? I would offer a snack, but my bread and cheese are frozen. Such as my carrots, but they taste quite crispy that way."

"You had to find out something? What exactly was it that you had to find out?" Snotlout wanted to know, his fingertips touching his lips, unbelieving.  
"Oh, I thought about if I could imagine us being a couple," Tuff answered as if he talked about whether he should choose the green or the grey tunic.  
"Oh. And?"  
"Yep, I think it would work. I have a quite bubbly feeling in my guts. Although that could also be because I'm hungry."

"Wait a moment," Snotlout said and crossed his arms. He glared at Tuff with furrowed brows and tried to catch a clear thought, which seemed to be impossible because all he could focus on was the blood rushing in his ears and his heart trying to jump out of his chest.  
"Ugh, screw it," he then muttered and strode through the room, grabbed Tuffnut by the shoulders, and kissed him back.  
First, he had his lips pressed to Tuff's lips, but then he opened his mouth and enclosed Tuff's bottom lip with his own.

Tuff opened his mouth slightly, breathed, let his tongue make contact with Snotlout's upper lip, slid his tongue between Snotlout's lips, and noticed the bubbly feeling increasing.  
The soft and careful kiss grew more intense, their tongues explored the other's mouth.  
Snotlout pushed Tuff at the wall behind them and let his hands wander over Tuff's chest to his hips.  
Before Snotlout could sneak his hands under Tuff's clothes Tuff decided to get a grip of Snotlout's wrists and stop him.

"Oh, sorry! Maybe I've been a little exuberant," Snotlout mumbled, as Tuff ended the kiss and backed away.  
"No, I mean yes, but actually I wanted to say that I have managed to maneuver myself into two futile affairs, and to be honest, I'm not even done with getting over it.  
So maybe, instead of hopping head over heels into the next pointless liaison, I wanted to ask if we could take it – uh, slow?"

Instead of answering Snotlout kissed Tuff again, very affectionate and loving.  
"Do you want me to wait?" he asked in a brief pause between tiny kisses all over their faces.  
"I don't know. That's one of the things I have to find out. Would it be okay to just tell you if it's okay or not, depending on the situation?"  
Snotlout nodded, then he looked straight into Tuff's eyes and whispered: "That's okay. Would you promise something in return? Can you promise to never play with me? I'm not part of a prank?"

"I would never do that!" Tuff replied honestly indignant.  
After a short break, Tuff added: "Let's just talk about everything. I want you to be honest about all concerns."  
"To be honest, I'm scared," Snotlout said and leaned against Tuff's chest.  
"So am I," Tuff replied and wrapped his arms around Snotlout.

Later, when they had eaten a bite and talked about everything and anything, Tuff felt weakened and tired again.  
"Are you getting sick again?" Snotlout wanted to know.  
"No, I'm feeling fine – It's just the food, it has been the first meal in three days. I guess my body needs all of his energy to digest it, that's why I'm so tired."

Tuff dropped onto his bed and with a satisfied sigh, he fell onto his left side.  
Snotlout mounted Tuff's bed and took a seat behind him.  
"I'll stay here until you're asleep," Snotlout explained and began to stroke Tuff's arm.  
"That would be awesome," Tuff replied and felt Snotlout pressing a soft kiss to his temple before he fell asleep.

Tuff and Snotlout needed several months to find their common groove.  
Tuffnut still had to get over Hiccup and Astrid and sometimes struggled to allow himself to be sad but also to be happy and to enjoy what he had with Snotlout.  
And Snotlout had to be true to himself, that a Jorgenson could also be gay.

Tuffnut and Snotlout grew together steadily, it wasn't much of the fireworks and butterflies, which had defined Tuffnut's love for Hiccup.  
Feelings built up slowly, but also very deep and didn't seem to be a flash in the pan.  
The first time they had sex was something completely new for Snotlout, who liked to brag about his skills and virility, but in fact, hadn't ever touched someone except for himself.

Also, Tuff's size scared and intimidated him, but Tuff was gentle, careful, and very attentive.  
He wouldn't hurt Snotlout and of course, he wouldn't do anything the smaller one wasn't up to.  
But once introduced into the pleasure of a stimulated prostate and his cock being sheathed with a tight passage, he became more courageous, tried positions, experimented with practices they learned together from ancient books, which Tuff had brought from his journey into the East.

Together they became a kinky couple, that made ambiguous hints and disappeared shortly after just to be found giggling in a side alley or a dim aisle, where they made out or when they ignored their last remaining parts of common sense, fucked to their heart's content.

Tuff didn't even bother that his relationship had to stay a secret for over a year – at least it had to be kept secret from Spitelout.  
As Spitelout fell off his roof while he was doing repair work and broke his spine at the neck vertebrae area, no one seemed to be particularly shaken.  
Spitelout was hardly awake since when he had been taken into his hut and Snotlout was taking care of him.  
For two weeks Snotlout watched his father's decay.

The once vicious man now was helpless, couldn't talk, walk, move, or even eat.  
Snotlout was a good son, who had spent the most time of his life trying to please his father.  
Now was his time to clean the slate.  
"Dad, I have to tell you something," he began.  
Spitelout's view was pointed to the ceiling, hard to tell if he was conscious or not. But when Snotlout started talking, his eyes rolled, tried to focus on his son.  
"Can you hear me? Blink once when you can hear me," Snotlout proposed.  
It took a while, but Spitelout blinked.

Relieved Snotlout exhaled, hasn't even been aware that he had held his breath.  
"I've always tried to be a good son. I've always tried to meet your standards.  
I've been brave and courageous most of the time, although I often haven't felt brave or courageous. You have pushed me to my limits, often enough far beyond. I have never complained, I thought it just had to be like that.  
But the older I got the more I realized that I couldn't be enough, no matter how hard I tried. There has always been this hint of disappointment in your eyes.  
You never told me that you were proud to be my dad. That hurt. I've been hurt for so long and I took my frustration, my anger out on the wrong people."

After a deep breath, Snotlout looked at his father's face, the cold blue eyes turned to him without expression.  
Snotlout took his father's hand and squeezed it.  
"I tried to convince myself that you just weren't the type of father to show emotions. Or even pride. I told myself you were proud of me, although I never knew if it was true. I don't care anymore. Do you know why? Because I am proud of myself. Am a good son, a good friend, and a good partner. I had to find out about it the hard way, but now I know that I'm worthy, even without your approval."

Snotlout inhaled again, tears were stinging in his eyes.  
"I know that you hated it when I cried, already when I was a little boy. You never comforted me. And when mom died you seemed to have given up the rest of your remaining humanity.  
Whatever. I kind of love you, you're still my dad. But I want you to know that I don't live the life you wanted for me.  
I live the life I chose for me. With the partner I chose."

That had been Tuffnut's keyword to appear out of the shadows. He stood next to Snotlout, took his hand, looked at his boyfriend with a loving expression.  
"And I want you to know that I don't care if you disown me or if you're happy to see me happy. Because I am, dad. I'm happy. I love Tuffnut. A Thorston. The very lowest in the hierarchy."

Snotlout let go of his father's hand and put his hand instead onto Tuff's face, pulled him close, and kissed him.  
The next time Snotlout looked at his father he had turned his eyes away from his son.  
He wouldn't look at him ever again.

Spitelout died three days after Snotlout had admitted to being a failure for the Jorgenson line.  
In these three days, someone else had taken care of Spitelout, because Snotlout couldn't stand the unspoken hostility. He couldn't stand his father.  
The ritual of burning the ship was held by Hiccup because the village expected the chief to honor the dead.  
Hiccup didn't want to do it and he talked about it with Snotlout, and both understood what they had to do, what had to be done. That's the burden of being a chief.  
Snotlout wasn't mad at Hiccup when he shot the arrow and spoke the prayer.  
He held hands with Tuffnut.

After Spitelout's death, it didn't take long until changes in concern of leadership style were made.  
The riot within the Council of the Elders calmed down and was elected new.  
Gobber helped Hiccup with that.

The Council of the Elders was now an assembly of people with life-experience in a wide variety of fields, with different skills, a lot of common sense and wisdom, such as there were warriors, a healer, a blacksmith, grandparents, people who wanted the same and were ready to work for it: the best for New Berk and its People.

Of course, Snotlout and Tuffnut bickered and mocked each other as they had done ever since.  
They loved each other and could even so passionately hate each other.  
But they stood by each other and never tried to hide that from the community again.  
And the people of New Berk just weren't interested in Tuffnut's and Snotlout's privacy.  
So it became the new normal to have a gay couple among the residents.  
Love is love, isn't it?

When Nuffink was three and a half years old and Snoggletog was about to come, Hiccup wanted to relive the Snoggletog pageant for the children.  
Nuffink was fascinated by dragons and headbutting and fighting – a little version of his parents.  
That Tuffnut, of all people, had to play Hiccup's part, did not quite make sense to him.

Especially because Tuff didn't even make an effort to play Hiccup reasonably.  
Maybe it was his revenge, his kind of showing how stupid Hiccup had behaved once in his life.  
Maybe it was his kind of coping with what had been, what never could be made undone and always hovered like a cloud over them.  
And maybe Tuff just liked mocking Hiccup, as he had always done since they had been kids.


End file.
